Science and NonScience The Demarcation Problem JIAYI LU
Science and Non-Science: The Demarcation Problem JIAYI LU, JOHN HRUSKA
Syllabus and Course Website http: //sites. northwestern. edu/jiayilu/gen_la-298 -alternative-science-seminar/
Class Format • First hour: Presentation on reading materials and other background information; Demonstrations and related videos; • Second hour: Class discussion facilitated by student organizers.
Evaluation Methods Final grade = Attendance (40%, 5% deduction for each missed class meeting) + Final Project (60%) Pass: final grade 60%; Fail: final grade <60%
Why do we care about demarcation
Topics Characterized as “Pseudoscience” Qigong: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=3 Z__PJjo 1 YU Dowsing: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=r. Mtu. Wym. Uzz 4 Bedford Level Experiment: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=XUj. Myt. Eg. Lyw Healing Crystals: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ll. P_ait 76_I Electrogravitics: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ye 5 W 28 Oih. N 0 Acupuncture: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=0 uhd. Rt. Sd. L 7 o
Scientific Method in Popular Belief (Merriam Webster) Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.
Hume If we take in our hand any volume; of divinity, or metaphysics, for instance; let us ask, does it contain any abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number? No. Does it contain any experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence? No. Commit it then to the flames. For it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion. • We need to define “experimental reasoning”
Newton and Others • Theories unproven from facts were regarded as sinful pseudoscience. • How do we define “proving from facts”? • Inductive logicians: define the probabilities of different theories according to the available total evidence
Problem of Induction § Generalizing about the properties of a class of objects based on some number of observations of particular instances of that class; § Presupposing that a sequence of events in the future will occur as it always has in the past
Karl Popper: Falsifiability Karl Popper’s Falsification: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=wf-s. Gq. Bs. Wv 4 Feynmann on Scientific Methods: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=EYPap. E-3 FRw If Popper is right, scientific theories are not only equally unprovable but also equally improbable.
Two Theories of Comets
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