Merit is a central pillar of liberal epistemology, humanism, and democracy. The scientific enterprise, built on merit, has proven effective in generating scientific and technological advances, reducing suffering, narrowing social gaps, and improving the quality of life globally. This perspective documents the ongoing attempts to undermine the core principles of liberal epistemology and to replace merit with non-scientific, politically motivated criteria. We explain the philosophical origins of this conflict, document the intrusion of ideology into our scientific institutions, discuss the perils of abandoning merit, and offer an alternative, human-centered approach to address existing social inequalities. 
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                            Intentional Increases in Push-Off Force Coupled with Visual Feedback: Towards New Strategies in Robot-Assisted Gait Rehabilitation
                        
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An official website of the United States government 
				
			 
					 
					
 
                                    