"HOW MANY LIVES WILL YOU SAVE NOW?" ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IN TIMES OF COVID-19

ABSTRACT

This article aims to present an epistemological discussion based on the assumption that, in times of Covid-19, Humanities and Social Sciences are equally important to monitor the effects of the new coronavirus in society. Although research aimed at the development of medicines and vaccines attract more attention during pandemics, the extent of social phenomena also needs to be investigated based on an analysis that encompasses the vast knowledge of the field of Humanities and Social Sciences. Therefore, we criticize the misleading way the concept of Science has been used to prescribe, discussing publications on the social network Twitter, which is widely used by the current Brazilian government to create hierarchies and distinctions in the scientific field. We argue about the need to understand science in a meaningful and socially referenced way.