Behinds Quote by Thomas Szasz
“The great shift... is the movement away from the value-laden languages of... the "humanities," and toward the ostensibly value-neutral languages of the "sciences." This attempt to escape from, or to deny, valuation is... especially important in psychology... and the so-called social sciences. Indeed, one could go so far as to say that the specialized languages of these disciplines serve virtually no other purpose than to conceal valuation behind an ostensibly scientific and therefore nonvaluational semantic screen.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Myth of Mental Illness, Thomas Szasz, 1961
The quote argues that scientific language in social sciences hides value judgments, presenting them as neutral.
In simple terms: Science language can mask hidden values.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question hidden valuations.
Themes
philosophy
science
ethics
psychology
humanities
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- policy analysis
- clinical practice
- public discourse
- education
Key Concepts
valuation
neutrality
semantic masking
disciplinary critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we identify concealed values?
- Can scientific rigor coexist with explicit values?
A Different Perspective
The claim may overgeneralize; not all scientific language is value‑free.
