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Perhaps you weren’t expecting deep talk from MC Hammer. And yet the “U Can’t Touch This” rapper recently shared an academic-style paper on Twitter that he said focused on the “visibility of philosophy of science in the sciences, 1980-2018.” After a follower tried to refute some of the claims he made in the article, MC Hammer expanded on his deep thoughts over social media.
The visibility of philosophy of science in the sciences, 1980–2018 #Hamm400aos https://t.co/v9ADu4prNj
— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) February 22, 2021
You bore us. If science is a “commitment to truth” shall we site all the historical non-truths perpetuated by scientists ? Of course not. It’s not science vs Philosophy … It’s Science + Philosophy. Elevate your Thinking and Consciousness. When you measure include the measurer. https://t.co/hsZzHNwJ0M
— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) February 22, 2021
Said Twitter user claimed philosophy is a “flirtation with ideas” while science is a “commitment to truth.” MC Hammer completely disagreed, which prompted him to write a detailed response. “You bore us,” he said. “If science is a ‘commitment to truth’ shall we [cite] all the historical non-truths perpetuated by scientists? Of course not. It’s not science vs philosophy … It’s science + philosophy. Elevate your Thinking and Consciousness.” He added, “When you measure include the measurer.”
After another user claimed his thoughts turned “Black males” away from science, MC Hammer doubled down on his stance. “Perhaps you read it too fast or comprehension is a challenge,” he said. “I CLEARLY and UNEQUIVOCALLY STATE That SCIENCE + PHILOSOPHY are compatible and I reject Science vs Philosophy. You are spreading non truths and disinformation. My support of STEM and Black in STEM is unmatched.”
Perhaps you read it too fast or comprehension is a challenge. I CLEARLY and UNEQUIVOCALLY STATE That SCIENCE + PHILOSOPHY are compatible and I reject Science vs https://t.co/cOULQhu7Fc are spreading non truths and disinformation. My support of STEM and Black in STEM is unmatched. https://t.co/51EN3cgr6r
— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) February 23, 2021
Hammer’s deep thinking — as well as a long list of reading recommendations, including philosopher and historian Michel Foucault — caught people by surprise. Many showed love to the final part of his message: “When you measure include the measurer.” Many shared their reactions online:
MC Hammer could write The Symposium but Plato could never write Can’t Touch This pic.twitter.com/3ziYOx5SNp
— wah wah wah, bitch i’m a baby (@MicycleOilyskin) February 23, 2021
Saw someone tweeting about history and philosophy of sci/tech with the handle mchammer and was like huh, I wonder how he managed to snag that handle.
It’s because it’s MC Hammer.
MC Hammer continues to be a legend apparently, for different reasons https://t.co/zNKp6M4awr
— Mar Hicks (@histoftech) February 23, 2021
“MC Hammer on Foucault” is like the title of an American Studies PhD seminar at NYU
— Dr. Thrasher, jouRNAlist (@thrasherxy) February 23, 2021
So apparently I’m living in a version of the future I could never have imagined in the early 90s, where a device in my pocket allows me to watch MC Hammer defending the value of philosophy as an epistemic methodology.Well… I guess we better sound the bell, school’s in, sucker! https://t.co/9giTnmY072
— Josh Melican (@jmmelican) February 23, 2021
MC Hammer said study dialectical materialism https://t.co/kUjDolf8gf
— ʜᴀssᴀɴ The People vs. Paper Tigers (@stellar_tombs) February 23, 2021
just wanted everyone to see MC Hammer having a thoughtful discussion on the role of philosophy to scientific research because that was certainly not on my 2021 bingo card https://t.co/RMIyqIkqbp
— Alexandra Mathieu (@AlexMathieuPhD) February 23, 2021
MC Hammer, explaining why Philosophy has to work with science as an epistemic tool to make both flourish, is a GREAT thing to wake up to https://t.co/kUr1rtQ9ak
— Lulu (@luulubuu) February 23, 2021
MC Hammer is doing the important philosophy of science communication we need https://t.co/pnw1SY6yCp
— jay (@Jacobkupp) February 22, 2021
I never thought I’d live through a time where MC Hammer would succinctly explain why science and philosophy together is important parts of the whole rather than being opposites.
I do love it though. https://t.co/qZYn1SmAXP
— Septeques Sindre Säfvenbom (@septeques) February 23, 2021
