The Markers of Pseudoscience

DOI

10.2991/aebmr.k.200312.032How to use a DOI?

Abstract

Science classes require from a person intellectual, volitional and moral qualities, which not all people possess. Therefore, a number of people who do not have the appropriate abilities are tempted to imitate science. Such imitation is called pseudoscience. On the вasis of what attributes can pseudoscience be identified? In modern methodological literature, a number of attempts have been made to answer this question. Some markers can be detected relatively easily. Other markers need some substantive text exploration. However it is impossible to limit by the criteria based on the synthesis of practical experience. A guiding idea is necessary to puzzle out not only simple, but also difficult cases. In our view, we should proceed from the principle of the text conformity to the norms of the scientific ethos. We proceed from the classical understanding of scientific activity as a scrupulous search for truth. It leads to the interpretation of pseudoscience as activity pursuing goals lying outside the science limits: material gain, fame, social status, etc. Therefore, if the signs of lack of conscientiousness are detected in the text it can be qualified as pseudoscientific with a high degree of probability. This approach allows to identify a specific type of pseudoscience, that we call “would-be science”. Moreover, this approach makes it possible to qualify as pseudoscientific those texts, which are not scientific according to previously proposed criteria. These texts are signed by the authors whose social status clearly does not leave them the opportunity to study science. Consequently, along with institutional, logical, linguistic and methodological markers of pseudoscience, one more marker should be used - sociological.

Copyright

© 2020, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - R Livshits
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/03/17
TI  - The Markers of Pseudoscience
BT  - Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference "Far East Con" (ISCFEC 2020)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 212
EP  - 221
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/aebmr.k.200312.032
DO  - 10.2991/aebmr.k.200312.032
ID  - Livshits2020
ER  -