Therefore the degree of "hardness" or "softness" of a scientific or academic discipline is never a fixed thing and the distinction between "hard" and "soft" #science is ultimately independent of what that science actually is: it's a matter of mathematics and #statistics. Even in the very "softest" of sciences such as psychology or sociology one may still make predictions that are, statistically speaking, as reliable as anything in a so-called "hard science".
But authoritarianism requires fundamental *corruption* of this understanding, because people who claim absolute authority wish to pretend that certain things are **always true or false**. Authoritarians such as hardcore #technology geeks only deal in absolutes, and thus they cling to an intrinsically corrupt understanding of mathematics and statistics. They need to believe in the fallacious notion of the "mathematically impossible".
(cont'd)
Mx. Chara Aznable (they/them) of Pnictogen
npub1q6…ce8pe
2026-06-05 21:07:53 UTC
in reply to nevent1q…hnsk
Author Public Key
npub1q6cyztlxxsw7rs70vje2rp4nn8t2ysptxsnpd72xsahwj002662s2ce8peSeen on
wss://relay.momostr.pinkPublished at
2026-06-05 21:07:53 UTCEvent JSON
{
"id": "44313ec08e883f7f2e553a026358fb65f2151fca153037dd1258fc57d8a9a1c7",
"pubkey": "06b0412fe6341de1c3cf64b2a186b399d6a2402b342616f946876ee93dead695",
"created_at": 1780693673,
"kind": 1,
"tags": [
[
"proxy",
"https://seattle.pink/@mxchara/116699540561544851",
"web"
],
[
"e",
"c7e9e1291e45bcce9f80183176d1c02aeec8fe5aeacbdc3dfa0d4af69cf30301",
"",
"root",
"06b0412fe6341de1c3cf64b2a186b399d6a2402b342616f946876ee93dead695"
],
[
"t",
"statistics"
],
[
"p",
"06b0412fe6341de1c3cf64b2a186b399d6a2402b342616f946876ee93dead695"
],
[
"e",
"4f328622fdaa695e478f210d3ef8fc626fbf565f6ec9ced3455c846769dbf6f9",
"",
"reply",
"06b0412fe6341de1c3cf64b2a186b399d6a2402b342616f946876ee93dead695"
],
[
"t",
"science"
],
[
"t",
"technology"
],
[
"proxy",
"https://seattle.pink/ap/users/115855847980876292/statuses/116699540561544851",
"activitypub"
],
[
"L",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"l",
"pink.momostr.activitypub:https://seattle.pink/ap/users/115855847980876292/statuses/116699540561544851",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"-"
]
],
"content": "Therefore the degree of \"hardness\" or \"softness\" of a scientific or academic discipline is never a fixed thing and the distinction between \"hard\" and \"soft\" #science is ultimately independent of what that science actually is: it's a matter of mathematics and #statistics. Even in the very \"softest\" of sciences such as psychology or sociology one may still make predictions that are, statistically speaking, as reliable as anything in a so-called \"hard science\".\n\nBut authoritarianism requires fundamental *corruption* of this understanding, because people who claim absolute authority wish to pretend that certain things are **always true or false**. Authoritarians such as hardcore #technology geeks only deal in absolutes, and thus they cling to an intrinsically corrupt understanding of mathematics and statistics. They need to believe in the fallacious notion of the \"mathematically impossible\".\n\n(cont'd)",
"sig": "5c353b7f6a183d94dbac94c2f72784fc544b79dc180943d71ccf68e11446cda3157c96fecfad05581f620ba246d5d874a2882c4059bbcf6e4c32c908ee4da708"
}