Be alert - Pseudo-Science and Anti-Science are on the Prowl! - SCI-ART LAB2024-03-28T12:11:07Zhttps://kkartlab.in/forum/topics/be-alert-pseudo-science-and-anti-science-are-on-prowl?groupUrl=some-science&commentId=2816864%3AComment%3A113236&groupId=2816864%3AGroup%3A80038&feed=yes&xn_auth=notag:kkartlab.in,2020-06-23:2816864:Comment:1622092020-06-23T02:05:12.930ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
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</p> tag:kkartlab.in,2020-05-25:2816864:Comment:1618362020-05-25T04:27:23.558ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5319522874?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5319522874?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5319522874?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/5319522874?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a></p> The Difference between Scienc…tag:kkartlab.in,2015-09-30:2816864:Comment:1317642015-09-30T03:19:39.925ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p>The Difference between Science and Pseudoscience</p>
<p>Discerning science from pseudoscience</p>
<p><a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-difference-between-science-and-pseudoscience/?WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20150929" target="_blank">http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-difference-between-science-and-pseudoscience/?WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20150929</a></p>
<p>The Difference between Science and Pseudoscience</p>
<p>Discerning science from pseudoscience</p>
<p><a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-difference-between-science-and-pseudoscience/?WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20150929" target="_blank">http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-difference-between-science-and-pseudoscience/?WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20150929</a></p> tag:kkartlab.in,2015-02-24:2816864:Comment:1244622015-02-24T04:42:37.573ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
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</p> During World War II, resident…tag:kkartlab.in,2014-09-22:2816864:Comment:1204252014-09-22T01:53:23.985ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p>During World War II, residents on the islands in the southern Pacific Ocean saw heavy activity by US planes, bringing in goods and supplies for the soldiers. In many cases, this was the islanders' first exposure to 20th century goods and technology.</p>
<p>After the war, when the cargo shipments stopped, some of the islanders built imitation air-strips. These incorporated wooden control towers, bamboo radio antennae, and fire torches instead of landing-lights. They apparently believed that…</p>
<p>During World War II, residents on the islands in the southern Pacific Ocean saw heavy activity by US planes, bringing in goods and supplies for the soldiers. In many cases, this was the islanders' first exposure to 20th century goods and technology.</p>
<p>After the war, when the cargo shipments stopped, some of the islanders built imitation air-strips. These incorporated wooden control towers, bamboo radio antennae, and fire torches instead of landing-lights. They apparently believed that that this would attract more US planes and their precious cargo.</p>
<p>This behaviour, it turns out, is not a singular occurrence. Anthropologists have found examples of similar behaviour at different times in history, albeit in island populations. In a commencement speech at the California Institute of Technology in 1974, the physicist Richard Feynman used the concept to coin the phrase “cargo-cult science”.</p>
<p>The cargo cult’s air-strips had the appearance of the real thing, but they were not functional. Likewise, Feynman used the term “cargo-cult science” to mean something that has the appearance of science, but is actually missing key elements.</p>
<p>The phrase has since been used to refer to various pseudo-scientific fields such as phrenology, neuro-linguistic programming, and the various kinds of alternative therapies. Practitioners of these disciplines may use scientific terms, and may even perform research, but their thinking and conclusions are nonetheless fundamentally scientifically flawed.<br/> <a href="http://theconversation.com/how-neuroscience-is-being-used-to-spread-quackery-in-business-and-education-30342" target="_blank">http://theconversation.com/how-neuroscience-is-being-used-to-spread-quackery-in-business-and-education-30342</a></p> Mysteries Explored: Shocking…tag:kkartlab.in,2014-06-17:2816864:Comment:1178572014-06-17T03:13:52.687ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p>Mysteries Explored: Shocking science behind Hindu traditions<br/> <a href="http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-slideshow/seekers/science-of-spirituality/mysteries-explored-shocking-science-behind-hindu-traditions/151884" target="_blank">http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-slideshow/seekers/science-of-spirituality/mysteries-explored-shocking-science-behind-hindu-traditions/151884</a></p>
<p>Mysteries Explored: Shocking science behind Hindu traditions<br/> <a href="http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-slideshow/seekers/science-of-spirituality/mysteries-explored-shocking-science-behind-hindu-traditions/151884" target="_blank">http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-slideshow/seekers/science-of-spirituality/mysteries-explored-shocking-science-behind-hindu-traditions/151884</a></p> Pseudoscientific practices an…tag:kkartlab.in,2014-04-10:2816864:Comment:1156762014-04-10T02:45:22.173ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p>Pseudoscientific practices and unfounded scare stories pull back South Asian nations from progress, says Nalaka Gunawardene.<br></br> Keeping Modern Myths And Conspiracy Theories At Bay<br></br> Modern myths are undermining the quest to achieve a better quality of life for 1.6 billion people in South Asian countries. They add a new layer of complexity in a region already under pressure from poverty, conflicts and disparities.</p>
<p>Fewer South Asians today believe in ghosts, spirits and other…</p>
<p>Pseudoscientific practices and unfounded scare stories pull back South Asian nations from progress, says Nalaka Gunawardene.<br/> Keeping Modern Myths And Conspiracy Theories At Bay<br/>
Modern myths are undermining the quest to achieve a better quality of life for 1.6 billion people in South Asian countries. They add a new layer of complexity in a region already under pressure from poverty, conflicts and disparities.</p>
<p>Fewer South Asians today believe in ghosts, spirits and other traditional ‘demons’ that frightened their ancestors. However, some new fears have emerged to fill that void.</p>
<p>These ‘twenty-first century demons’ come in various shapes and forms. They include half truths, misconceptions, complete fallacies and assorted conspiracy theories.</p>
<p>Increasingly such ‘demons’ come in the garb of pseudoscience: fanciful claims are presented as seemingly ‘technical’ or as part of ‘scientific dissent’. They exploit the benefit of the doubt. But careful probing shows most have no evidence base, and lack the rigor and self-correction processes inherent in real science.</p>
<p>Yet, they spread fast, playing on insular and insecure minds and often thriving on low levels of public trust in authority. Uncritical and sensationalist media coverage often adds momentum.</p>
<p>Some fallacies are relatively harmless. But others can spread fear, reverse public health gains, and lead to policy paralysis. Health related ones are among the most persistent — and probably the most damaging to individuals and society.</p>
<p>Consider the many scare stories on chemical, nuclear and genetic topics circulating in South Asia’s mainstream media and social media. It is easy to invoke fears of cancer, and even the remotest (perceived) threat to human fertility causes panic.</p>
<p>Polio eradication</p>
<p>Take, for example, global efforts to eradicate polio. In early 2014, India completed three years without having a single case of wild poliovirus infection. It is one of the biggest public health success stories in recent years.</p>
<p>India’s anti-polio campaign is rightfully hailed as a model. Yet, the ‘the last mile’ in states like Uttar Pradesh proved particularly difficult on the basis of religious beliefs, social class or the caste system. Persistence by the country’s public health officials finally paid off. But it reminds us that in infectious disease control, any system is as strong as its weakest link.</p>
<p>India’s lessons are invaluable for Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, the only three countries that remained polio-endemic by 2013. One key learning: eradication success depends on a clear understanding of each country’s context.</p>
<p>As a group of public health specialists noted in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization in 2009: “There is no vaccine against resistance or refusals that are rooted in social-cultural, religious and political contexts… Medical approaches alone cannot address certain community concerns.”</p>
<p>Tribalism, extremism and modern myths combine to hamper Pakistan’s anti-polio efforts. The Taliban has killed more than 15 polio workers during the past two years. Courageous public health workers also have to counter rumors that vaccination is an attempt by government ‘to sterilize Muslims’. This belief is especially high in the country’s northwest and border regions — where wild poliovirus is still found.</p>
<p>Fears of an ‘infertility plot’ have also prompted nearly a third of Pakistani households to avoid using iodized salt. With half the population (equal to 100 million) suffering from iodine deficiencies, this increases the risk of goitre, mental retardation, birth defects and other developmental problems.</p>
<p>Pakistan’s experience illustrates how even the educated middle class can uncritically accept modern myths.</p>
<p>As Pervez Hoodbhoy, Pakistani physicist and public intellectual, has noted: “Quack science does not just cost money. It also confuses people, engages them in bizarre conspiracy theories, and decreases society’s collective ability to make sensible decisions.”</p>
<p>Ideological bias</p>
<p>India and Pakistan are not alone in this affliction. Across South Asia, peddlers of miracle healing and magical cancer cures openly promote their quick fixes on public television and online. Celebrities and politicians patronize such services, exasperating medical and public health professionals.</p>
<p>Well-meaning activists — viewing problems through a narrow ideological lens — can add to the corpus of dangerous myths. Some years ago a Lankan advocacy group promoting indigenous knowledge questioned the practice of disposable injection needles to guard against HIV. They saw it simply as a ruse by pharmaceutical industry to sell more.</p>
<p>More recently, radical environmental groups in Sri Lanka have accused multinational companies of attempting to ‘poison the nation’ through chemical fertilizers and pesticides.</p>
<p>Market manipulations and corrupt practices undoubtedly exist. Current development models are imperfect, and their pros and cons must be debated. But all-or-nothing positions do not help. In public health, careless rhetoric can lead to hasty policies that cost lives.</p>
<p>Those trained in empirical sciences should study the cultural and societal context in which myths and pseudoscience thrive. Public perceptions matter as they shape individual and group behavior, which in turn influences policy choices.</p>
<p>American astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan (1934—1996) used to argue that a healthy dose of skepticism could keep most ‘demons’ at bay while some deep-rooted ones require more systematic investigation.</p>
<p>Higher levels of literacy and education are not, by themselves, sufficient safeguards. In their 2012 book Ganesha on the Dashboard, V Raghunathan and M A Eswaran probed how, despite being educated, smart and tech-savvy, “Indians can be surprisingly unscientific in their daily lives”.</p>
<p>As they noted, “Our refusal to see our lack of scientific temper as a serious issue inhibiting our development as a society is perhaps a South Asian trait, and not just an Indian one.”</p>
<p>Managing demons — old and new — thus becomes part of our development challenge.</p>
<p>———</p>
<p>Source: SciDev.Net.<br/> <a href="http://www.asianscientist.com/features/keeping-modern-myths-conspiracy-theories-bay-2014/" target="_blank">http://www.asianscientist.com/features/keeping-modern-myths-conspiracy-theories-bay-2014/</a></p> http://www.csicop.org/si
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h…tag:kkartlab.in,2014-03-08:2816864:Comment:1144202014-03-08T01:56:55.124ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p><a href="http://www.csicop.org/si" rel="noopener" target="_blank">http://www.csicop.org/si</a></p>
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<p class="ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align--start"><span class="qlink_container"><a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-reveals-distrust-health-expertise-hearts.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter">https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-reveals-distrust-health-expe...…</a></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.csicop.org/si" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.csicop.org/si</a></p>
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<p class="ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align--start"><span class="qlink_container"><a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-reveals-distrust-health-expertise-hearts.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter">https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-reveals-distrust-health-expe...</a></span></p>
<p class="ui_qtext_para u-ltr u-text-align--start"><span class="qlink_container"><span>How misinformation and junk science are winning battles online</span></span></p> I know a Hindu priest here. H…tag:kkartlab.in,2014-01-15:2816864:Comment:1132362014-01-15T05:52:02.911ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p>I know a Hindu priest here. He was one of our earlier tenants. He is a total illiterate. Can't even read ABCDs. But learned a few mantras ( in Sanskrit) by heart and keep repeating them where ever he goes. Now he is a priest in a famous temple here and earning more than some postgraduates here do! But he spreads superstitions and false beliefs like hell. Several times I tried to put sense into his head. He agrees I am right and he is wrong. But says, he will lose his job without doing what…</p>
<p>I know a Hindu priest here. He was one of our earlier tenants. He is a total illiterate. Can't even read ABCDs. But learned a few mantras ( in Sanskrit) by heart and keep repeating them where ever he goes. Now he is a priest in a famous temple here and earning more than some postgraduates here do! But he spreads superstitions and false beliefs like hell. Several times I tried to put sense into his head. He agrees I am right and he is wrong. But says, he will lose his job without doing what he does! Unable to cope with my lecturing, and with the fear that he would change because of it, he left our house and took another one! He disappeared from the scene!<br/> I just read a quote by a religious guru here: "All beliefs will crash somewhere. Only reality will sustain itself!" So don't lose faith.</p> http://scientiablog.com/2014/…tag:kkartlab.in,2014-01-11:2816864:Comment:1132152014-01-11T05:03:11.144ZDr. Krishna Kumari Challahttps://kkartlab.in/profile/DrKrishnaKumariChalla
<p><a href="http://scientiablog.com/2014/01/01/el-increible-mundo-de-las-etiquetas-pseudocientificas-iv/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">http://scientiablog.com/2014/01/01/el-increible-mundo-de-las-etique...</a><br></br> <a href="http://www.comunicosmos.com/2014/01/sentido-comun/#" rel="noopener" target="_blank">http://www.comunicosmos.com/2014/01/sentido-comun/#</a>!</p>
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<p><a href="http://scientiablog.com/2014/01/01/el-increible-mundo-de-las-etiquetas-pseudocientificas-iv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://scientiablog.com/2014/01/01/el-increible-mundo-de-las-etique...</a><br/> <a href="http://www.comunicosmos.com/2014/01/sentido-comun/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.comunicosmos.com/2014/01/sentido-comun/#</a>!</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/why-do-our-scientists-not-speak-out/article6591259.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/why-do-our-scientists-not-speak-ou...</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.quora.com/What-do-people-think-about-Indian-ancient-science?__snids__=765959167&__nsrc__=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.quora.com/What-do-people-think-about-Indian-ancient-scie...</a></p>
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<p class="ui_qtext_para"><i>“<span> </span></i><b><i>Pseudoscience</i></b><i><span> </span>consists of claims, beliefs, or practices presented as being plausible scientifically, but which are not justifiable by the<span> </span></i><span class="qlink_container"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank" class="external_link"><i>scientific method</i></a></span><i>.</i></p>
<p class="ui_qtext_para"><i>A topic, practice, or body of knowledge can reasonably be considered pseudoscientific when it is presented as consistent with the<span> </span></i><span class="qlink_container"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(sociology)" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank" class="external_link"><i>norms</i></a></span><i><span> </span>of scientific research, but it demonstrably fails to meet these norms.</i></p>
<p class="ui_qtext_para"><i>Pseudoscience is often characterized by the following: contradictory, exaggerated or<span> </span></i><span class="qlink_container"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank" class="external_link"><i>unprovable claims</i></a></span><i>; reliance on<span> </span></i><span class="qlink_container"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank" class="external_link"><i>confirmation bias</i></a></span><i><span> </span>rather than<span> </span></i><span class="qlink_container"><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank" class="external_link"><i>rigorous attempts at refutation</i></a></span><i>; lack of openness to evaluation by other experts; and absence of systematic practices when developing theories.”</i></p>