Our History
From the Union Rationaliste to Mythodologie: a century of critical thinking in France.
The Mythodologie association is part of the long tradition of scientific skepticism and modern rationalism. These movements took an organized form in France with the creation of the Union Rationaliste in 1931, a structure supported by committed scientists, contributing significantly to establishing a public research sector and recognizing researcher status.
The birth of zeteticism
Over time, the goals of 'defending science' took many forms, and in the 1980s, one of these forms gained momentum: zeteticism was born.
This zeteticism decided to focus on studying paranormal phenomena and certain pseudosciences like 'alternative medicines,' thus defending 'true sciences.' The stated objective was to give citizens individual tools to sort information from these marginal case studies.
For example: explaining what the Forer effect cognitive bias is helps better understand the mechanism of adherence to astrology, and helps protect against 'speeches using vague and poorly defined terms to encourage adherence'... This approach, which focuses more on the method of knowledge production, has helped many people discover science and critical thinking.
The Observatoire zététique and its impact
In 2003, the Observatoire zététique association was created around Grenoble. For many years, this association organized various experiments to evaluate the existence of phenomena reputed to be paranormal. It also offered articles and conferences to address these subjects, rarely treated from a scientific angle.
The association focused on identifying and criticizing 'bad ways of thinking' or arguing, as opposed to the true 'scientific method.' Although it is not clearly established that all cases studied are directly transferable or useful for developing rigorous thinking on other subjects, at the time, such an association represented one of the few sources offering an alternative perspective on various pseudosciences.
The digital era and divergences within zeteticism
With the arrival of the internet, some YouTube channels claiming to be zetetic emerged, like Hygiène Mentale, and critical thinking courses flourished everywhere, like those of Richard Monvoisin.
While this success allowed many people to discover useful concepts related to critical thinking, epistemology, or science education, it was accompanied by a series of divergences. All the people gathered had different goals and backgrounds, which could cause tensions and sometimes splits.
The Observatoire zététique association did not escape this trend. Its history included people for whom studying the paranormal was an end in itself, and others for whom it was only a pretext to popularize scientific notions or develop critical thinking. On one side, people claiming a posture of neutrality (or seeking to approach it) and on the other, people who wished to assume that their actions have value and political consequences. The question of what falls within the field of zeteticism or pseudosciences to fight thus became a subject of debate.
Current challenges and perspectives for zeteticism
'Zetetics' have often emphasized so-called 'hard' sciences, like physics or chemistry, to the point of presenting science in a reductive way. This approach, although common in scientific circles, has sometimes limited the use of different methods and sources, particularly those from human and social sciences or philosophy of science.
Moreover, there were times when zeteticism, by focusing strongly on scientific arguments, could give the impression of relying too strictly on the authority of 'Science™.' This was part of a larger debate about the best way to apply scientific and skeptical thinking to controversial subjects: debates cannot always be settled by a series of scientific facts. And making people believe otherwise seems dangerous to us.
Finally, it was observed that the zetetic community faced challenges in terms of inclusivity. Historically, the field seemed more accessible and relevant to certain privileged social groups, giving the impression of a certain homogeneity in its audience and participants. This situation could stem from various factors, such as the choice of subjects addressed, meeting places, or a certain distance from broader political and democratic questions. These questions today cross the entire field of zeteticism and science.
Birth of Mythodologie
Faced with these challenges, a group of members and supporters of OZ initiated the creation of a new association. It aims to offer a more inclusive and democratic framework, openly recognizing the political implications of its action. It also seeks to integrate a broader range of scientific disciplines.
While moving away from the traditional label of zeteticism, this new entity retains critical thinking and skeptical methodology, with a continued commitment to questioning and learning.
In 2023, Mythodologie was born. The rest remains to be written...