Let’s explore a
controversial topic…
DHMO
(aka Dihydrogen monoxide)
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DHMO.org
Dihydrogen-monoxide (Transtronics site)
Coalition to Ban DHMO
Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide!
DHMO
Chemical Danger Alert - The Horror of DHMO
MSDS for DHMO
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
FAKE!!
“Pseudo” means
“fake!”
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Uses vague, exaggerated or untestable claims.
 “Scientific” claims may be vague or lack specific
measurements.
 “Facts” are often fabricated or illogical interpretations of
scientific information.
 Often, reference works are not even consulted.
 Extraordinary claims may be made and promoted, despite
the fact that they contradict what is known about nature.
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Employs “research” that does not
adhere to scientific method.
 Ineffectual experimental
design (e.g. no control group,
too many variables, etc.)
 “Data” often come from nonscientific sources such as:
 Newspaper reports
 Relies heavily on subjective
validation to support claims.
 Hearsay
 Implies that correlation is
evidence of causation
 Other pseudoscientific reports
 Religious texts
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Overly-reliant on confirmation rather
than refutation.
 Claims are not falsifiable.
 Asserts that claims which have not been proven false must
be true or vice versa.
 Over-reliance on testimonial, anecdotal evidence, or personal
experience. (Conflicting evidence is usually ignored.)
 “Reversed burden of proof.” Demands that skeptics prove
claims false, since substantial supporting evidence is lacking.
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Lacks openness to review or testing
by other experts.
 Evades peer review before publicizing results.
 May claim that peer review is biased towards established
paradigms.
 May claim that assertions cannot be evaluated adequately
using standard scientific methods!!
 Appeals to the need for secrecy or proprietary
knowledge when an independent review of data or
methodology is requested.
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Uses misleading language or jargon.
 Uses apparently technical jargon in an effort to give
claims the superficial appearance of science.
 Scientific-sounding terms may be created to add
weight to claims and persuade non-experts to believe
statements that may be false or meaningless.
 May use established terms in idiosyncratic ways
(demonstrates unfamiliarity with mainstream work in
the discipline).
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Does not progress.
 Fails to progress towards additional evidence of claims.
 Lack of self correction.
Appeals to false authority, emotion,
sentiment, or distrust of established fact.
 Individuals or groups may take criticism of their beliefs
personally.
 Critics are identified as enemies, and their motives or
character are attacked.
 Non-experts are accepted as authorities.
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Uses logical fallacies to convince.
Logical Fallacies:
 Biased sample. (Data is gathered
from a sample group that is not
comparable to the larger group.)
 Circular reasoning. (An unsubstantiated assertion is used to
justify another unsubstantiated
assertion.)
 Red Herring. (Irrelevant topic is
presented in order to divert
attention from the original issue.)
 Reversed burden of proof.
(Shifts burden of proof away from
those making claims.)
 Post hoc ergo propter hoc.
(“After this, and therefore because
of it.”)
 Ad hominem. (“To the man.”
Attacking the person rather than
the statements the person has
made.)
 Non sequitur. (“Does not follow.”
The conclusion does not follow
from the premise.)
 Argumentum ad populum.
(“Popular opinion.” The belief that
truth can be determined by
essentially voting on it.)
 Irrational appeals. (Appeals to
common sense, emotion, or
authority that are not reasonable.)
 Composition. (Because
something is true for a number of
individuals, it must be true for all.)
What is ”pseudoscience” ?
Uses logical fallacies to convince.
Logical Fallacies:
 Biased sample. (Data is gathered
from a sample group that is not
comparable to the larger group.)
 Circular reasoning. (An unsubstantiated assertion is used to
justify another unsubstantiated
assertion.)
 Red Herring. (Irrelevant topic is
presented in order to divert
attention from the original issue.)
 Reversed burden of proof.
(Shifts burden of proof away from
those making claims.)
 Post hoc ergo propter hoc.
(“After this, and therefore because
of it.”)
 Ad hominem. (“To the man.”
Attacking the person rather than
the statements the person has
made.)
 Non sequitur. (“Does not follow.”
The conclusion does not follow
from the premise.)
 Argumentum ad populum.
(“Popular opinion.” The belief that
truth can be determined by
essentially voting on it.)
 Irrational appeals. (Appeals to
common sense, emotion, or
authority that are not reasonable.)
 Composition. (Because
something is true for a number of
individuals, it must be true for all.)
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
 The primary goal is to achieve a
more complete and more unified
understanding of the physical world.
ø Pseudoscience is more likely to be
driven by ideological, cultural, or
commercial goals.
 Subject to intense research which
results in the continual expansion of
knowledge in the discipline.
ø Field evolves very little after it is
formed; little experimentation or
research is carried out and is
generally done more to justify the
belief than to extend it.
 Researchers commonly seek
counterexamples or findings that
appear to be inconsistent with
accepted theories.
ø Challenges to accepted
pseudoscientific dogma is often
considered hostile if not heretical,
and leads to bitter disputes.
 Observations or data that are not
consistent with current scientific
understanding, once shown to be
credible, generate intense interest
among scientists and stimulate
additional studies.
ø Observations or data that are not
consistent with established beliefs
tend to be ignored or actively
suppressed.
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
We won’t,
uuum… be
needing that!
PSEUDOSCIENCE
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
 Process in which each principle must
be tested and remains subject to
being questioned or rejected at any
time.
 Scientific ideas and concepts must
stand or fall on their own merits,
based on existing knowledge and on
evidence.
ø Major tenets and principles of the
field are often not falsifiable, and are
unlikely ever to be altered or shown
to be wrong.
ø Concepts tend to be shaped by
individuals who are usually not
connected to mainstream science
and often invoke non-expert
(celebrity) authorities.
 Explanations must be stated in clear,
unambiguous terms.
ø Explanations tend to be vague and
ambiguous, often invoking scientific
terms in dubious contexts.
 Findings are expressed primarily
through scientific journals that are
peer-reviewed and maintain rigorous
standards for honesty and accuracy.
ø Literature is aimed at the general
public, with no review, standards,
pre-publication verification or
demand for accuracy or precision.
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
 Reproducible results are necessary;
experiments must be precisely
described so that they can be
duplicated exactly or improved upon.
ø Results cannot be reproduced or
verified. Studies, if any, are often so
vaguely described that one can’t
determine exactly what was done or
how it was done.
 Failures are searched for and studied ø Failures are ignored, excused,
closely because incorrect theories
hidden, lied about, discounted,
can often make correct predictions
explained away, rationalized,
by accident, but no correct theory will
forgotten, and avoided at all costs.
make incorrect predictions.
 As time goes on, more and more is
ø No physical phenomena or
learned about the physical processes
processes are ever found or studied.
under study.
No progress is made; nothing
concrete is learned.
 Does not advocate or market
ø Generally seeks to profit by selling
unproven practices or products.
questionable products and/or
pseudoscientific services.
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
 Convinces by appeal to the
evidence, by arguments based
upon logical and/or mathematical
reasoning, by making the best
case data permit. When new
evidence contradicts old ideas,
they are abandoned.
Examples:
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Astronomy
• Geology
• Meteorology
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•
•
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Paleontology
Botany
Zoology
Genetics
ø Convinces by appeal to faith and
belief—tries to convert, not
convince. Seeks to persuade
belief in spite of rather than
because of the facts. Original idea
is never abandoned, regardless of
the evidence.
Examples:
• Astrology
• UFO-ology
• Intelligent
Design
• The Bermuda
Triangle
• Crop circles
• Acupuncture
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Extrasensory
perception
(ESP)
Séances
Faith healing
Magnet
therapy
Science vs. Pseudoscience
SCIENCE
PSEUDOSCIENCE
The Scientific Method Pseudoscientific Method
Here are the facts. Here’s the conclusion.
What conclusions can What facts can we find
we draw from them?
to support it?
What to believe?
If one knows only what one
is told, one does not know
enough to be able to arrive
at a well-balanced decision.
~Leo Szilara
1
How reliable is the source of the claim? Has it been reliable in the past? (Regard with great
skepticism any article on public health issues in popular periodicals.)
2
Consider what they’re not saying by what they’re saying. Assume they’re making the strongest case
they could and ask yourself: If this is their best shot, what aren’t they saying?
3
Remember that people who are being quoted in a story were specially selected by the writer and
may be completely unrepresentative.
4
What are an “expert’s” credentials? Movie and television stars should be regarded as experts only in
being movie or TV stars.
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6
When an authority is willing to admit “I don’t know,” s/he is more likely to be an authority.
Are they trying to build a case for fear by simply repeating statements of fearful people?
7
Are non-authorities diagnosing themselves
or their neighbors?
9
8
Do they cite sources? If so, what are those
sources?
10
Have they set up an impossible threshold?
Beware of anecdotal evidence.
Why is it important to study
and understand science?
 Solve problems
 Awareness and appreciation of life
 Discoveries help our growing world
 Issues dealing with science arise daily
– Acid rain, global warming, ozone depletion
– Clean energy sources, nuclear waste, oil spills
– Cancer, genetic disorders, emerging diseases
– Pharmaceuticals, medical technology, etc.
Why is it important to study
and understand science?