What is the difference between science
and pseudo-science
OUTLINE
The claim
The need of knowing the difference
Necessary to know what experts you need
To test you scientific ideas
In this paper we’re going to investigate what the differences are between science and pseudoscience.
Before looking at science and pseudoscience the question can be asked; Why is it so important to know
the difference between a science and a pseudoscience. There are two main reasons; the first reason is
to make logical decisions. In some cases different research can contradict each other. In this case it
would be easier to make decisions of which arguments are true if it is know which research is scientific
and which research is pseudoscientific. For example seen in this news article, where doctors in England
call to ban homeopathy from the health insurance, because homeopathy wouldn’t work better than
placebos.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7857349/Doctors-call-for-homeopathy-ban.html
A second reason why it is important to know the difference between science and pseudoscience is to
test the quality of your own research, but in this paper the focus will lay on the first reason.
In this paper the claim will be tested that the main difference between science and pseudoscience is
that science consist from claims that are fully tested where pseudoscience doesn’t fully test its claims.
The definition of science
What is science?
criterion of science, namely: Science is a systematic search for knowledge whose validity does not
depend on the particular individual but is open for anyone to check or rediscover
Before a comparison can be made about the difference between science and pseudoscience a definition
must be made of what science actually is. When science is looked up into a dictionary, different
explinations can be found like, science deals with bodys of facts and truths and science is gaining
knowledge by observation and experimentation.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science
Science explains nature with the condition that the claims must be true. But this is a very complex task,
for example when you look at atomic science. The most reliable theorie at the moment is that materials
are build out of moluculs and atoms, but nobody has ever seen an atom, so can be tested if this theory is
true?
http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/do-atoms-really-exist-665117.html
But this also counts for the medical science, because docters can make a diagnosis, but they can’t look
into the body of a patient to see if this diagnosis is a 100% accurate.
http://www.schattauer.de/de/magazine/uebersicht/zeitschriften-a-z/imia-yearbook/imia-yearbook2006/issue/special/manuscript/6799/download.html
http://www.medical-negligence-ireland.com/wrong-diagnosis-compensation-claim/
How does science work?
Science can be seen as a problem solving procedure.
Problem solving
•
P1  TT  EE  P2, P3, etc.
P1- initial problem
TT- tentative solution (theory, model, etc)
EE - error elimination
P2, P3, etc. – new set of problems
As seen in the model, science tries to create a theory or model to explain or solve a problem. This theory
and model than has to be tested. But with all the new solutions found, new problems will accure, so this
will result into an infinite process. Theories and models can by tested by conformation and falsification.
But for some problems multiple theories and explanations are possible, so there must me made a
decision of which explanation is the best. To an explanation has to follow a few criteria to be the best
explination.
–
Unifies apparently disconnected phenomena (explains them in the same way)
–
Explains more types of phenomena
–
Explains phenomena with more precision
–
Simplifies our overall picture of the world
–
Provides more information about underlying mechanisms
It is also very important witch chosing the best explination to test the relation between arguments and
evidence. For example with the explination that co2 drives up the earths temperature.
http://www.google.nl/imgres?q=temperature+co2&um=1&hl=nl&biw=1600&bih=777&tbm=isch&tbnid=nTfsGEnCU9FqPM:&imgrefurl=http://z
facts.com/p/226.html&docid=YHWDCLS34t20FM&imgurl=http://zfacts.com/metaPage/lib/zFacts-CO2Temp.gif&w=526&h=377&ei=i8wBT7X4EJGfwbI2sD4CQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=512&vpy=204&dur=115&hovh=190&hovw=265&tx=156&ty=121&sig=105488905935920097620&page=1&
tbnh=115&tbnw=161&start=0&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0
This image could also mean that the amount of co2 rises when the temperature of the earth rises.
http://www.greatglobalwarmingswindle.com/co2_temperature.html
Testing science
Definition of pseudoscience
A pseudoscience is a field which isn’t scientific (1), but a pseudoscience also gives the impression that it
is a science (2). But these two conditions do not form the definition of a pseudoscience yet. Because for
example, fraud in science and mistakes in science both follow criteria (1) and (2) but they are still
sciences. They are cases of bad science but not pseudoscience. A pseudoscience also contradicts
science, so that means that cases of bad science would become a pseudoscience when it contradicts the
research of the scientist that has scientific legitimacy.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pseudo-science/#NonSciPosSci
In contradiction with science
The difference between science and pseudo-science
To show the difference between science and pseudoscience we’re going to look at the case of
homeopathy. Homeopathy is a way of preforming medical care by providing very strong deluted potions
to patients, which are so strong deluted that they are the same as placebos.
- Testability: is the theory being considered logically and methodologically falsifiable?
The effect of homeopathic potions isn’t falsifiable because homeopathics explain that 70 % of the
people who use homeopathy are content about their treatment. This claim isn’t falsifiable because this
70 % is also the same amount of people that reacts positive on placebos. Homeopathy isn’t also falsiable
because the effects of the small amounts of active molecules in the potions isn’t testable. Medical
science in this case would test the effects of the some stronger potions, not only on the overall wellness
of the patient, but also on specific levels of the human body. This makes the medical science falsifiable.
- Problem solving: is the theory part of a problem solving tradition?
Homeopathy isn’t also part from a problem solving tradition, because the diagnosis are the same as they
were 200 years ago. Homeopathy also tells that there is a solution for every medical problem without
side effects, while the legimate medical treatments do suffer from side problems and side effects. The
medical science is also doing research to medications of diseases which at the moment can’t be
threated. And even when a disease can be threated, the medical science is still doing research to the
methods of healing, to make them more efficient, less painful and stress full or less expensive.
- Progress: is the research programme in question progressive?
The research programme of homeopathy isn’t progressive because the homeopathic community isn’t
doing any research to increase the amount of positive patients from 70 %. The theories do not improve
and they are still the same as 200 years ago. While in medical science, different theories do replace each
other.
- Pluralism: are alternative solutions to the problems under consideration seriously being
considered?
Homeopathy doesn’t looks for alternative solutions to the underlying problems that are solved or still
have to be solved. Homeopatichs claim that the healing effect of their potions is because of the small
amounts of poisons in them. But they don’t concider the possibilities of psychological conviction that
the patients are healed, while they actually are still sick. Or the placebo effect where people though to
their believe in the medicine can cure themselves. These options are taken into account in the medical
sciences.
- Integration: is existing knowledge systematically taken into account?
Homeopathy doesn’t takes existing knowledge into account. For example the avagadro constant that
can explain how many atoms there in a solution are. Homeopathic potions can be deluted so strong (10
to the power of 36 thimes), that following the avagadro constant it means that there is a chance from
abount 9 of 10 that there is no working ingredient anymore in the potion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWE1tH93G9U
http://www.janethull.com/newsletter/0905/the-four-fundamental-laws-of-homeopathy.php
Conclussion
The difference between a science and a pseudoscience is much more than only testing the claims that
are made. It is also about preforming the reseach like a science, because science is never done. Every
thime new discoveries are made, new problems arise. So the research that has to be done is almost
infinite and has to be preforemed on such a way, that it is honest and that everybody can see that the
done research is based on facts and right relations.