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antiscientific

antiscientific

8.5
Not based on careful tests or reliable proof
  • adjective
  • /ˌæntiˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/
translation icon : anticientífico
  • In my intellectual lifetime at least, it is a new thing that left-wing views should be advanced from an antiscientific, antirational point of view.

Examples

  • Sadly, that kind of antiscientific nonsense is de rigueur for a lot of folks these days, even ones who sit in Congress.

    Blog text (5)
  • His antiscientific views often lead to heated debates in discussions about public health.

  • These data are not folk knowledge with an antiscientific bias.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Of course, the official line is that such practices are "superstitious" or "antiscientific."

    Academic text (2001)
  • Often enough, toxic waste activists are called "antiscientific" when, in fact, they may simply work at science in a nontraditional manner.

    Academic text (1993)
  • C. P. Snow's "two cultures" came into being, as science became antihumanistic and humanists became antiscientific.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Many people hold antiscientific beliefs that reject established facts about climate change.

  • Critics argue that some alternative medicine practices are antiscientific and lack credible evidence.

Synonyms

unsubstantiated
vsantiscientific
38 7.5

Not supported by facts or proof

often implies opposition to scientific methods rather than just lacking proof
unscientific
vsantiscientific
18 5.1

Not based on careful tests and reliable facts

is used when something opposes scientific methods rather than only lacking basis
nonscientific
vsantiscientific
1 4.6

Not based on science or scientific evidence

focuses on opposition or lack of scientific basis rather than mere unrelatedness
antiscience
vsantiscientific
9.2

Not supporting science, including its methods and findings

also covers things merely not based on scientific methods or evidence
unempirical
vsantiscientific
8.2

Does not use observation or real-world facts

includes rejection or absence of scientific methods beyond just missing data

Antonyms

976 3.7

About careful methods used to find and test facts

How Scientific

scientific
976 3.7
unscientific
18 5.1
antiscientific
8.5

Surface Forms

antiscientific positive

Morphology

antiscientific = scientific (transparent) = anti + science + ific

The meaning is directly compositional: anti- means 'opposed to' and scientific is a familiar base adjective.

Etymology

Antiscientific is made of anti- meaning 'against' and science meaning 'knowledge' or the study of the natural world. So antiscientific describes ideas or actions that go 'against' science or are not based on scientific methods or evidence.