SCIENCE AND PSEUDOSCIENCE
SCIENCE
Science is the study of all natural objects,
processes, and phenomena of the Universe. It is the # 1 best approach and
method for learning about the nature of reality. Science is based on making
objective interpretations of all available facts and observations from
nature. It is NOT based on beliefs - never has been, never will
be, whether you like it or not. Scientific ideas have to be falsifiable,
or testable. Any concept or idea that cannot be potentially tested to
verify whether it’s right or wrong or partially right or partially wrong
is NOT part of science. One of the goals of science is to
understand processes or phenomena so well that one can make successful
predictions (in experimental science) or postdictions (in historical science).
In doing science, many often speak of
“The” Scientific Method. This term implies that there is only
one approach to doing science, as if scientists are following a recipe in a
cookbook. This is far from the reality of the situation. There are
many specific ways of doing science. How a particle physicist does
science is different from how an archaeologist does science, which is different
from how a chemist or a planetary geologist or a genetic engineer does
science. However, all sciences attempt to objectively explain various
natural objects, processes, and phenomena by gathering information, making
observations, formulating hypotheses, testing those hypotheses, making
objective interpretations, and formulating theories.
Two key terms in science are “hypothesis”
and “theory”. Misunderstanding and misuse of these two terms
is widespread in the general public and, sadly, moderately widespread among
scientists. For example, I often hear or read the phrase “competing
theories” or “several theories” in reference to one set of
concepts. There's NO SUCH THING AS COMPETING THEORIES.
Hypothesis - a rough idea or educated guess that
explains how or why something works the way it does.
Theory - a rigorously tested hypothesis, or set of
hypotheses, that successfully and consistently explains how or why something
works the way it does.
There can be competing hypotheses. There
is no such thing as competing theories, by definition. Scientists and nonscientists
need to use these terms with care.
Sadly, considerable ignorance about science exists in
modern society. This has resulted in many claims about the nature of
science that range from slightly wrong to ridiculously wrong to
enragingly-offensively wrong (Example: In 2008, Ben Stein said during a
televised interview “Science leads to killing people.”).
My favorite quotes about science:
1) “It’s a very, very sad commentary on
the values in our culture when shooting a ball into a basket is more laudable,
more praiseworthy, more admirable, and more rewarded than teasing out some
fundamental truth about the natural world or finding a cure for AIDS or
cancer.” (2009, Carolyn Porco - the real-life scientist behind the
heroine of the movie Contact)
2) “Science is interesting, and if you
don’t agree, you can f*ck off.” (Alun Anderson, editor of New
Scientist magazine)
3) “Science will win because it works.”
(2010, Stephen Hawking)
4) “All our science, measured against reality,
is primitive and childlike - and yet it is the most precious thing we
have.” (1951, Albert Einstein)
5) “Science is the poetry of reality.”
(2007, Richard Dawkins)
SCIENCE AND PSEUDOSCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
Because of society’s widespread misunderstanding
of science (mostly the result of intellectual apathy, educational laziness, the
frequently-negative Hollywood depictions of science & scientists, and the
bigoted anti-science agenda of liberal relativism), pseudoscience and
pseudoscientific ideas and pseudoscientists are everywhere.
Pseudoscience includes ideas that are not testable or
ideas that have been already tested and shown to be wrong - it's as simple as
that. There are many synonyms and near-synonyms of the term
“pseudoscience” that include: fringe science, junk science, trash
science, voodoo science, bad science, pathological science, cargo cult science,
fraudulent science, alternative science, weird science, crackpot science, quack
science, parascience, bogus science, malignant science, anti-science,
non-science, and nonsense.
So, let’s be specific - what ideas and concepts
out there are pseudoscience & nonsense? (As you read through this
list, keep in mind that I really like watching X-Files.)
Graphology
Psychics/Mediums
Homeopathy/Water Memory
Flat Earthism
Much of UFOlogy
Geocentrism
Much of Cryptozoology
Young-Earth Creationism
Intelligent Design Creationism
Dowsing
Climate Change Denial
Phrenology
Astrology & Horoscopes
Biorhythms
Reincarnation/Past Lives
Moon Landing Denial
Magnet Therapy
Crystal Healing
Parapsychology
Noah’s Flood Geology
Cold Fusion
Precognition
Extrasensory Perception (ESP)
Pyramidology/Pyramid Power
California Breaking Off Into the Ocean
Smoking Health Risks Denial
Abiogenic Origin of Petroleum
Chi Energy
Acupuncture
Chakras
Mozart Effect
Perpetual Motion Machines
Dragons/Fairies/Gnomes
Ghosts/Apparitions/Poltergeists
Witchcraft/Wizardry
Absolute Relativism
Year 2000 Hoax (“Y2K”)
Velikovsky
Nostradamus
Bible Code
Repressed Memories
Ancient Astronauts
Faith Healing
Cryonics
Historical Revisionism
Vaccine/Autism Connection
Out-of-Body Experiences
Near-Death Experiences
Polygraphs (Lie Detectors)
Remote Viewing
Large Particle Collider/Black Hole Catastrophe
Predictions
Alchemy
Hypnotherapy
Freudian Psychology
2012 End-of-the-World Predictions
Chiropractics
Non-Human Origin of Crop Circles