What “Science Is Real” Actually Means

What does the slogan “Science Is Real” really mean?

I recently saw a bumper sticker with the slogans: “Science Is Real, Black Lives Matter, No Human Is Illegal, Love Is Love, Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Kindness Is Everything.”

As an engineer who values science, “Science Is Real” caught my attention.

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It reminded me of my Physics for Engineering II class, where the professor announced near the end: “Everything you’ve learned so far is false.” He then introduced Quantum Theory, explaining how Newtonian physics works well for engineering but breaks down at quantum scales. There, science becomes more philosophical—relying on human imagination and analogies limited to our experience. Chaos theory further shows that precise long-term predictions are often impossible.

After researching the “Science Is Real” slogan, it seems to mean one of two things: either it refers to an academic debate between scientific realism and anti-realism, or it’s part of a political movement aimed at shaping public opinion.

George Orwell warned in “Politics and the English Language” that political language is designed “to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”

At the heart of liberty is the freedom to reason through open thought, questioning, and dialogue without fear of personal attacks. True reasoning needs fixed universal truths as a foundation. The success and individual freedom of Western civilization rest on the social truths of Christian doctrine. The early church gave us the scientific method used today. Real science is the relentless pursuit of truth. Real truth should never be afraid of debate. This bumper sticker is nothing more than an opioid for the non-rational, emotionally-motivated thinker.

Can any of these slogans be defended in a calm, non-threatening conversation? And if a rational person disagrees, will you engage with logic and respect, or resort to vilification?

David Alexander lives in Indianola