Going After Scientism Through Science Fiction‪.‬

We interrupt this academic essay for an important news report: A Fiend is loose in our world, a terrible Monster that pretends to be something it is not: human. It seems human, but it is not human. It is taking over our world, and it is doing so by means practically invisible to us. It attacks human beings when they are alone, vulnerable, and often while they are unconscious. It takes over the body, destroying the human being at the material level, replacing each and every living human cell with an alien cell. It is becoming a global force, colonizing the human race, and things may have already progressed to the point where there is no way of defeating this invader. Soon, humanity may become extinct, and yet not one person will even know the difference. People will not know that they no longer are what they once were: human. That scenario drives John W. Campbell's well-known short story "Who Goes There?" The story invites intriguing questions, especially those dealing with the subjects of authenticity and mistaken identity. The scenario from "Who Goes There?" can be discussed as analogous to many situations unfortunately not restricted to fiction. One analogy I have in mind with respect to mistaken identity involves a Monster very much with us today: Scientism.