--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only shibboleth the West has is…" description: "\"The only shibboleth the West has is science. It is the premise of modernity and it defines itself as a rationality capable of, indeed requiring separat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/bruno-latour-21082_capable_the-only-shibboleth-the-west-has-is-scie_2662117.png" --- # The only shibboleth the West has is science. It is the… ![“The only shibboleth the West has is science. It is the premise of modernity and it defines itself as a rationality capable of, indeed requiring separation from politics, religion and really, society. Modernisation is to work towards this.” quote by Bruno Latour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/bruno-latour-21082_capable_the-only-shibboleth-the-west-has-is-scie_2662117.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/bruno-latour-21082_capable_the-only-shibboleth-the-west-has-is-scie_2662117.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/bruno-latour-21082_capable_the-only-shibboleth-the-west-has-is-scie_2662117.png) > “The only shibboleth the West has is science. It is the premise of modernity and it defines itself as a rationality capable of, indeed requiring separation from politics, religion and really, society. Modernisation is to work towards this.” [Bruno Latour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-latour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The West claims science as its unique identity, separating it from politics, religion, and society, defining modernity through rationality. **In simple terms:** Science is presented as the West's defining rational identity. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of separating science from societal contexts. Themes modernity science identity separation rationality Mood critical introspective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy debates - education curricula - public discourse - technology ethics Key Concepts social constructivism epistemology cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How does treating science as a cultural identity affect policy? - Can rationality coexist with political and religious influences? A Different Perspective Science cannot be wholly isolated from values and power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Defines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defines/) [Indeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indeed/) [Itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/itself/) [Modernity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernity/) [Modernity Defines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernity-defines-2436808/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-religion/) [Premise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premise/) [Premise Modernity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premise-modernity-2436807/) [Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Requiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requiring/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society Modernisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-modernisation-1569136/) [Towards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/towards/) [West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west/) [West science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west-science-204882/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“The society whose modernisation has reached the stage of integrated spectacle is characterised by the combined effect of five principal factors: incessant technological renewal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-debord/the-society-whose-modernisation-has-reached-the-stage-of-integrated/) [Guy Debord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-debord/) > [We should revise West science and theories in light of this news - Human Race is all over universe!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwani-kumar-ojha/we-should-revise-west-science-and-theories-in-light-of-this-news/) [Ashwani Kumar Ojha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwani-kumar-ojha/) > [Don't Control Earth! 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