From 'sleeping beauties' to 'rising stars': The religious and philosophical roots of bibliometrics

Abstract

This article explores the often-overlooked religious and philosophical roots of bibliometrics. Drawing on motifs from the Hebrew Bible and Christian theology—including the Chosen People, the Matthew Effect, David’s census, and the Tower of Babel—it argues that bibliometrics, while presented as a neutral and quantitative science, is deeply embedded in cultural narratives of worth, selection, judgment, and transcendence. The paper reflects on how metaphors of purification, idolatry, and incommensurability help us understand both the power and the limits of bibliometric practices. Rather than offering prescriptive rules, it concludes with a series of critical reflections that emphasize humility, interpretative context, and the need to continually question the values embedded in metrics—reminding us that in bibliometrics, as in faith, what we measure may never fully capture what truly matters.