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Chapter 15 - SCIENCE vs. Pseudoscience
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Pseudo- (prefix):
    Not actually, but having the appearance of;
    pretended, false, or spurious
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Pseudoscience (noun):
    Any of various methods, theories, or systems considered
    as having NO scientific basis
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*   science is distinguished by certain principles
    and properties -

    for example,
    TESTABILITY - can a claim be tested?
                  how can it be tested?

    EVIDENCE-BASED - what is the evidence for a claim?

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WHAT defines "Science"?

*   Science is a method we use to learn about the world around us.

*   The METHODOLOGY of science can be generally described as follows:
  
    1.  IDENTIFY AND DEFINE the problem to be studied, 
        being as specific as possible.

    2.  GATHER DATA that is relevant to the specific problem 
        being examined.

    3.  FORMULATE A HYPOTHESIS (an "educated guess") 
        that will explain the problem using the gathered data.

    4.  TEST THE HYPOTHESIS by careful, objective observation 
        and/or experimentation.
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An Example of GOOD Science 
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*   Dr. John Snow at the Broad Street Pump

    http://www.jsi.com/JSIInternet/About/snow.cfm

    *   In the 19th Century, Dr. Snow pioneered the use of:
        *   science, 
        *   careful analysis, and 
        *   critical thinking 

        ...to determine the cause and find the source of a 
        cholera epidemic in Victorian London.

    *   TED talk about this: (~10 minutes)

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvHL0dHj3RM 

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An Example of BAD Science 
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*   A "bomb-detecting" device – actually used by the military in Iraq 
    and other countries!

    http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-07-11/in-iraq-the-bomb-detecting-device-that-didnt-work-except-to-make-money

    *   A British man marketed a "bomb-detecting" device that was 
        nothing more than an antenna on a plastic grip.  It was 
        completely fraudulent.

    *   BBC news report about this: (~8 minutes)

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZV6_JbYNDs

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Controlled Studies in Science
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*   A method for performing a scientific experiment among populations

    1.  Randomly select a large group of people, and divide them 
        into two groups.

    2.  Test the two groups exactly the same except for a SINGLE 
        change (a drug vs a placebo, for example).

    3.  A DOUBLE-BLIND TEST is one where neither the subjects nor 
        the people working with them are aware of which group the 
        subjects are in.

    4.  Analyze the data for STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT differences 
        between the groups.
        
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LIMITATIONS of Science
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*   Questions of MEANING

    *   Science can make observations to confirm or refute hypotheses, 
        but cannot explain the "meaning" of these facts.

*   Questions of VALUE

    *   Science cannot address the issue of whether something is 
        good or bad, right or wrong, better or worse, 
        beautiful or ugly, desirable or undesirable.

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Science vs. Pseudoscience - telltale SIGNS
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    SCIENCE		PSEUDOSCIENCE
 ------------          ----------------
Willingness to	       Fixed ideas
  change with
  new evidence

Ruthless peer	       NO peer review
  review

Takes account of       Selects only
  all new                favorable
  discoveries            discoveries

Invites criticism      Sees criticism
                         as conspiracy

Verifiable results     Non-repeatable
                         results

Limits claims of       Claims of widespread
  usefulness             usefulness

Accurate measurement   "Ball-park" measurement

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[below are extras -- did not cover in class, but including
    here in case anyone might be interested!]
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demos of the "power" of pseudoscience
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*   from James Randi

*   Creating a "Channeler" named Carlos – to show how easy it 
    is to peddle pseudoscience to an unquestioning media
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0hgP3ioAeA

*   A brief demonstration on how scientists were fooled by 
    a cheap parlor trick

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbwWL5ezA4g