Is it Science or
Pseudoscience?
Kathy Saunders
University of Waikato
Aims of the session
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Discuss the elements of the Nature of
Science and use these as criteria to
distinguish between science,
pseudoscience and non-science
Examine a range of recent scientific
claims and make decisions, with
justifications, as to whether these are
science, pseudoscience or non-science
What is science?
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Think about categorising the following
statements as scientific, not scientific, not
scientific but seems scientific.
Knowing the “right” answer is not the point –
purpose is to think about what science is and
isn’t.
Is it scientific, not scientific, not scientific but
seems scientific
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Every human possesses a soul
Water boils at 100 degrees C at 1 atmosphere (atm)
pressure
Aliens from another planet built Egyptian pyramids
People born under astrological sign Aries are
charismatic leaders
The earth’s surface is made up of many plates. The
movement of these plates set in motion forces that
result in earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain
building
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We hired scientists to test our product, and the
results prove our product is better than that of
our competition
Water molecules contain a memory of what
has been dissolved or diluted in them
An inventor’s design for a car that uses water
as a fuel has been bought up and suppressed by
the oil companies
Reports of UFOs are suppressed by the
government to prevent panic and/or maintain
control over citizens
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What criteria did you use to place a statement
in a category?
Tentative definition for each category
Rename:
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Scientific – SCIENCE
Not scientific - NON-SCIENCE
Not scientific but seems scientific PSEUDOSCIENCE
Dough Nut Activity
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Two circles are formed, with each person
facing a partner, about ½ m apart
Students spend about 2 minutes discussing
statement and justifying their selection/opinion
Inner circle moves - rotate to right one person
once time is up
The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus
Forum
Is the Pacific Northwest
Tree Octopus science or
pseudoscience?
What are some claims you
know of that you consider
to be pseudoscience?
Science can be defined as...
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PRODUCT: Science is a body of knowledge
including facts, theories and laws
PROCESS: Science uses a variety of tools and
procedures to generate scientific knowledge
WAY OF KNOWING: Science is one lens to
make sense of the world. It relies on empirical
evidence and generates knowledge claims
based on linking evidence through to
explanations through logic and mechanisms
that can account for cause and effect.
To recognise whether a
statement is science,nonscience
or pseudoscience....
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Criteria of “Characteristics of
scientific knowledge”
Look for warning signs
Characteristics of scientific knowledge
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Predictable: Extends application of new ideas and
stimulates new questions
Replicable: Proposes a mechanisms for observed
cause and effect that is repeatable; explanations must
fit existing data
Empirical: Knowledge claims are based on evidence
(all the evidence) that can be observed and tested (as
opposed to authority)
Natural: A natural cause or mechanism used to
explain how or why an event happens
Tentative: Self correcting when new evidence is
uncovered
Warning signs
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is the claim aimed directly at the media? (Scientists
take to scientific forums)
Are there claims that the establishment wants to
suppress the work?
Is the scientific effect being described, at the very
limit of detection?
Is the evidence for it only anecdotal?
Are the predictions of the ‘science’ quite vague?
Is the statement said to be true because it has been
believed for a very long time?
Has the person presenting this information been
working in isolation?
Do they propose a new law of nature in order to
explain the observation?
Is there sponsorship from someone or an agenda to
push?
Taken from http://webexhibits.org
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Benefits of Increased Oxygen:
Higher energy levels
Greater mental awareness
Stronger immune systems
Greater ability for the body to detoxify
A calming effect on the body
So, armed with an understanding of how
science operates, we can assess the
many claims and counterclaims, many
claiming scientific support and
validity, that bombard us everyday
Spotting pseudoscience is a
skill every citizen should
develop.
A good grasp of the Nature
of Science is essential to
differentiate science from
pseudoscience.
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY
Some references
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Websites The Guardians “Bad Science” page:
http://guardian.co.uk/life/badscience
How to recognise bad science
http://webexhibits.org/bogus
Sceptical Inquirer http://www.csicop.org
Quackwatch http://www.quackwatch.org
Critical thinking pseudoscience
http://www.csj.org/infoserv_indexes/index_t
pcol_study_criticalthinking_pseudosciencefac
t.htm