PROBLEM 5. SCIENCE & PSEUDOSCIENCE 1
Hughes Chapter 2: What is Pseudoscience and why it is popular
Crystals > people support that they can also have an application outside the electronic or
mechanical engineering, they can enhance immunity, problem from low self -esteem and help in
monogamy > crystal therapists > pseudoscientists?
Medical issues, pregnancy, emotional state (e.g. impulses, behavior)
Knowledge, information about crystal energy = knowledge on chemistry of electrostatic
forces
Authority figures support the view but it is inaccurate, based on anecdotal reasoning and
subjective assessment. The claim of scientific speaking constitutes them as pseudoscientists.
Whenever science threatens to dominate common thinking, a
counter-science movement emerges and provides an alternative.
E.g., medicine pharmacology- counter non-pharmacological
treatments.
Usually the distinction between them is straightforward.
In other cases, there is not that clear difference between science and
The demarcation problem pseudoscience.
Psychology investigates thoughts, feelings and behavior that was
occasionally thought as non-scientific topics.
The intent is what makes the difference, when you choose to ignore
something in order to stay loyal to what you believe.
Demarcation problem: challenge of separating the sciences from
non-sciences.
Non-sciences: clearly not scientific and the people involved do not
claim that it is a science e.g. literacy theory.
Protosciences: Not-sciences that want to be sciences when the
people involved are scholars that aim to achieve scientific
standards, there is a likelihood they success. E.g. herbalism,
astronomy, alchemy Protosciences to chemistry, astrology,
Pseudoscience
pharmacology.
Pseudoscience: fields that purport to be sciences but fail to adhere
to principles and practices of true science.
Wearing the cloak while rejecting epistemological standards.
Some are aware and choose to dismiss, others are unaware
but that is willful and ethically problematic.
Differences of substance Aspects that are core to the subject matter and if they are valid
accurate or not.
Falsifiability: if an assertion only confirmed and not
disproved >it is not accurate because falsification is stronger
than confirmation.
→ Not all claims are demonstrably falsifiable
→ Claims that have counter outcomes > any ratio is
possible > not scientific.
→ Produce vague predictions e.g. not specifying
expectations
, PROBLEM 5. SCIENCE & PSEUDOSCIENCE 2
→ Claims that constitute of complicating factors that are
difficult (impossible) to track
→ Claims based on unknownable assumptions “shyness
effect”
Truthiness: pseudoscience relies on the extent to which a
claim feels true.
→ The failure of disproval is causing increase of
truthiness in pseudoscience. E.g., failure to prove
acupuncture does not help increase the possibility that
it helps.
→ Something is true because no other options are
available (on ignorance)
Scientist endorse parsimony while pseudoscientists don’t
→ Difference in reductionism and holism
The ways in which the proponents of a field behave when
participating in that field.
Attitudes toward peer review: scientists prefer blind and
anonymous peer reviews. Pseudoscientists think they can
publicize a finding without a review.
→ For scientists empiricism above authority that is why
they maintain the blind anonymous review.
The veracity attached to the utterances of gurus: if a
statement is considered true due to the fame of the person that
said it > pseudoscience
→ In science every person goes under critical evaluation
Difference of style
The standing accorded to anecdotal testimony: anecdotal
evidence rarely meets the standards of evidence and provide
high rates of error. It is also vulnerable to bias due to the
selection of a witness.
→ They cannot be investigated by nature
→ Anecdotal testimony in psychology is important since
there is no other way to get insight to the thoughts
emotions and self-esteem.
→ Psychology is in between the two extremes of
anecdotal testimony (perfectly fine-basis for
pseudoscience)
Why is it popular? The very unlikelihood of being true makes it popular >
audiences attracted by conspiracy.
Views held even if they are not prestigious
People are motivated by their wish for accuracy, they
acquire knowledge from second-hand figures, based on
opinion-anecdotes
Pseudoscience chooses the message they deliver by relying
on subjectivity. E.g., alternative medicine tells you how to
Hughes Chapter 2: What is Pseudoscience and why it is popular
Crystals > people support that they can also have an application outside the electronic or
mechanical engineering, they can enhance immunity, problem from low self -esteem and help in
monogamy > crystal therapists > pseudoscientists?
Medical issues, pregnancy, emotional state (e.g. impulses, behavior)
Knowledge, information about crystal energy = knowledge on chemistry of electrostatic
forces
Authority figures support the view but it is inaccurate, based on anecdotal reasoning and
subjective assessment. The claim of scientific speaking constitutes them as pseudoscientists.
Whenever science threatens to dominate common thinking, a
counter-science movement emerges and provides an alternative.
E.g., medicine pharmacology- counter non-pharmacological
treatments.
Usually the distinction between them is straightforward.
In other cases, there is not that clear difference between science and
The demarcation problem pseudoscience.
Psychology investigates thoughts, feelings and behavior that was
occasionally thought as non-scientific topics.
The intent is what makes the difference, when you choose to ignore
something in order to stay loyal to what you believe.
Demarcation problem: challenge of separating the sciences from
non-sciences.
Non-sciences: clearly not scientific and the people involved do not
claim that it is a science e.g. literacy theory.
Protosciences: Not-sciences that want to be sciences when the
people involved are scholars that aim to achieve scientific
standards, there is a likelihood they success. E.g. herbalism,
astronomy, alchemy Protosciences to chemistry, astrology,
Pseudoscience
pharmacology.
Pseudoscience: fields that purport to be sciences but fail to adhere
to principles and practices of true science.
Wearing the cloak while rejecting epistemological standards.
Some are aware and choose to dismiss, others are unaware
but that is willful and ethically problematic.
Differences of substance Aspects that are core to the subject matter and if they are valid
accurate or not.
Falsifiability: if an assertion only confirmed and not
disproved >it is not accurate because falsification is stronger
than confirmation.
→ Not all claims are demonstrably falsifiable
→ Claims that have counter outcomes > any ratio is
possible > not scientific.
→ Produce vague predictions e.g. not specifying
expectations
, PROBLEM 5. SCIENCE & PSEUDOSCIENCE 2
→ Claims that constitute of complicating factors that are
difficult (impossible) to track
→ Claims based on unknownable assumptions “shyness
effect”
Truthiness: pseudoscience relies on the extent to which a
claim feels true.
→ The failure of disproval is causing increase of
truthiness in pseudoscience. E.g., failure to prove
acupuncture does not help increase the possibility that
it helps.
→ Something is true because no other options are
available (on ignorance)
Scientist endorse parsimony while pseudoscientists don’t
→ Difference in reductionism and holism
The ways in which the proponents of a field behave when
participating in that field.
Attitudes toward peer review: scientists prefer blind and
anonymous peer reviews. Pseudoscientists think they can
publicize a finding without a review.
→ For scientists empiricism above authority that is why
they maintain the blind anonymous review.
The veracity attached to the utterances of gurus: if a
statement is considered true due to the fame of the person that
said it > pseudoscience
→ In science every person goes under critical evaluation
Difference of style
The standing accorded to anecdotal testimony: anecdotal
evidence rarely meets the standards of evidence and provide
high rates of error. It is also vulnerable to bias due to the
selection of a witness.
→ They cannot be investigated by nature
→ Anecdotal testimony in psychology is important since
there is no other way to get insight to the thoughts
emotions and self-esteem.
→ Psychology is in between the two extremes of
anecdotal testimony (perfectly fine-basis for
pseudoscience)
Why is it popular? The very unlikelihood of being true makes it popular >
audiences attracted by conspiracy.
Views held even if they are not prestigious
People are motivated by their wish for accuracy, they
acquire knowledge from second-hand figures, based on
opinion-anecdotes
Pseudoscience chooses the message they deliver by relying
on subjectivity. E.g., alternative medicine tells you how to
