Quote by Alan Sokal
In this atmosphere of general discouragement, it is tempting to attack something that is sufficiently linked to the powers-that-be so as not to appear very sympathetic, but sufficiently weak to be a more-or-less accessible target (since the concentration of power and money are beyond reach). Science fulfills these conditions, and this partly explains the attacks against it.
Summary
The quote suggests that during times of widespread disillusionment, there is a tendency to attack something associated with those in power to avoid appearing overly sympathetic to the establishment, yet still have an accessible target. Science, characterized as both connected to those in authority and perceived as vulnerable, becomes a subject of criticism. This is because science's association with power and wealth seems unattainable for ordinary people. Therefore, the attacks against science are driven partly by this desire to challenge something within reach that symbolizes the established order.
By Alan Sokal
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