Science Vs. Pseudoscience

Science is defined as "the investigation of natural phenomena through observation, theoretical explanation, and experimentation, or the knowledge produced by such investigation" by The American Heritage Science Dictionary. Science uses the scientific method as the basis in establishing scientific facts. In science, an observation is made and a hypothesis is formed pertaining to that observation. Then experiments are conducted to test the hypothesis. As a result, a hypothesis is then confirmed, modified, or discarded. Scientists consistently research the same topic for an extensive period of time before regarding a hypothesis as a scientific fact. Science studies reality and explores the physical world. There are many branches of science and even more categories within those branches. Science includes biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science. All of those branches are considered to be natural sciences.

Pseudoscience is considered to be "fake" science because "pseudo" in its language of origin means "false". Pseudoscience is also given derogatory nicknames such as junk science or bad science. Pseudoscience is a "set of ideas based on theories put forth as scientific when they are not scientific". Pseudoscience is based on hypotheses without research or evidence to support the claims. Many branches of "science" could even be considered pseudoscience depending on who you talk to and their beliefs or point of view. Some of these branches that can arguably be pseudoscience are social sciences (such as theology, methodology, and other studies of human behavior or society) and "Creation" science. Other examples of pseudoscience are psychic detectives, palm readings, horoscopes, astrology, therapeutic touch, homeopathy, chiropractics, channeling, and Unidentified Flying Objects(UFOs). Psychic detectives, palm readings, horoscopes, and astrology are all obviously pseudoscience because they deal with "spiritual" connections and not the physical world. Therapeutic touch, homeopathy, aromatherapy, craniometry, and other such "medical" pseudosciences are justly classified as such because they are not based on facts, but are based on selective use of anecdotes or intuition. Channeling is "a process whereby an individual (the "channeler") claims to have been invaded by a spirit entity which speaks through the channeler". This is commonly practiced by superstitious followers and is often done with the use of a children's toy, the Ouija Board, which clearly supports it is not real science. Chiropractics can be considered pseudoscience because the theory it revolves around is that "subluxations" or "blockages of nerves" in the back are the cause of the health problems, but neither the creator of chiropractics nor any chiropractor since has proved the existence of these "subluxations". Other pseudosciences include Quantum Physics and Graphology. Graphology is "the study of handwriting" and is used to estimate a person's personality or sometimes identify a person as guilty for a certain crime. How can graphology, which is clearly pseudoscience because there are always exceptions and does not have any substantial "empirical" evidence behind it, be used as a tool to find criminals? Pseudoscience is highly capitalized upon and is intertwined throughout our society.


I believe that many "fields" of science are actually pseudoscience because they don't have any proof to support their so-called facts. This also makes it hard to distinguish between science and pseudoscience and leads to controversy between people. Pseudoscience has been a part of society in the past, is a part of society today, and will continue to be part of society in the future. Some of the reason that pseudoscience is so prevalent in our society is because people want to have their beliefs even if they can't "see" something. One example is the belief people have in God. They can't see or know for certain of God's existence yet God is as prevalent as pseudoscience in our society considering U.S. currency states "in god we trust". Another example is the Pledge of Allegiance phrase "under god". So, does that mean that religion is another form of pseudoscience? Pseudoscience is also prevalent in society because of people craving something to give them hope whether it's hope about life on other planets, spiritual connections with those who have passed, or hope for answers to the unknown. Although, science and pseudoscience are different, they are easily confused sometimes and will always have to co-exist.

~Lindsey~