This article appears in the April 21, 2023 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.
Nitrogen ‘Scientism’ Destroys Food Production in Netherlands
[Print version of this article]
Dr. Hanekamp sent greetings from The Netherlands, where he is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Utrecht University.
Hello. My name is Jaap Hanekamp.
I am the author of the article on the nitrogen crisis in The Netherlands, published in the EIR journal, but also on my blogpost, jaaphanekamp.com. (“The Ersatz Nitrogen Crisis; Delusional Expertocracy and the Destruction of Dutch Agriculture,” EIR, April 7, 2023)
I’m a chemist by trade, but I also made a dissertation in theology and philosophy eight years ago on utopia.
I see the nitrogen crisis as a utopian development in The Netherlands and abroad. In this utopian development, science as scientism plays a key role. Scientism is nothing other than the belief that only scientific research delivers real knowledge.
Of course, this is an incoherent position which nevertheless is embraced by the so-called expertocracy which plays a major role in policy-making in the world.
I have critiqued this development eight years ago in my dissertation, but also nowadays on my blogpost, and I believe this critique to be more and more important in the world.
Thank you for your attention, and enjoy your conference.