The examples may be slightly dated, but the concept is critical: science is a specific discipline, not just anything labeled "science." In Voodoo Science, Professor Robert L. Park discusses the ways that junk science masquerades as the real thing, and details how accepting such claims costs us all.
"It's Not News, It's Entertainment" opens the book, and this is a crucial point. After all, if "the Media" did not cover voodoo science so supportively, most junk science claims would not get very far. And that willingness to support junk science is, Park explains, motivated by ratings and readership. (No less in the blogosphere than in the "old Media," I think.)
Science fascinates us by its power to surprize. Unexpected results that appear to violate accepted laws of nature can portend revolutionary advances in human knowledge... Alas, many "revolutionary" discoveries turn out to be wrong. Error is a normal part of science... Scientists, no less than others, are inclined to see what they expect to see, and an erroneous conclusion by a respected colleague often carries other scientists along the road to ignominy... If scientists can fool themselves, how much easier is it to craft soft arguments deliberately intended to befuddle jurists or lawmakers with little or no scientific background?
Park next takes on "The Belief Gene," the concept that we are all equipped to lend credence to an idea that has once captured our attention. Using the Natural Law Party's peace experiment of 1993, and fears about global warming, he looks at how this system of building beliefs proceeds apart from data collection, and often, in opposition to the data gathered. This is the "don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is already made up" mindset.
"Placebos Have Side Effects" builds on the first two essays to examine the voodoo medicine field, specifically, homeopathy and magnet therapy. Park explains the placebo effect, and concedes that placebos do have a medical effect. "The placebo... works by fooling the brain into thinking the problem is being taken care of. Once the brain is persuaded that things are under control, it may turn the [pain] signal down by releasing endorphins..." Homeopathic remedies are placebos, because their dilution removes the possibility of the "active" ingredient actually being found in the mixture.
Avogadro's Number is memorized in freshman chemistry. Homeopathists have calculated the dilution limit, and they agree that not a single molecule of the herbal extract or mineral could remain in their medications. But they insist it doesn't matter...
Many science fiction readers may part ways with Park in Chapter 4: "The Virtual Astronaut." Park admits his desire to believe in the possibility of human space travel nearly became his own bout with voodoo science. Reluctantly, he argues that man cannot possibly expect to travel in the flesh to distant star systems, citing logistical and philosophical limits that make it far more economical to send robots and electronic sensors. He concludes with John Glenn's historic second trip into space in 1998:
...the real symbolism of the mission was that after thirty-five years, John Glenn had traveled only eighty miles further from Earth than he did the first time.
The costs of supporting voodoo science stretch far and wide, and never more than when Congress gets involved in legislating science, by awarding grants and funds from tax dollars. "There Ought to Be a Law" looks at this process, with examples from cold fusion to Joe Newman's perpetual motion machine. We see this going on today, with Congress and the White House firmly behind hydrogen energy solutions—lawyers and other politicians are simply not equipped to judge the feasibility of such technologies, but they often dismiss opinions from those who are as "controversial" or "biased." Park's point: When scientific reality clashes with political goals, politicians are easily drawn into support for voodoo science.
Article comments
1 - jadester
nice, i may have to check this one out.
However, i was under the impression that there've been studies that show increased levels of leaukemia in people living near powerlines (although scientists can't explain why yet)?
That may have just been here in the UK though, not to mention that it was a few years ago, so may have since been debunked
2 - Fred Bortz
Risky, risky, Dr. Pat!
When this book came out, I wanted to review it for my main book review client at the time. The Book Review Editor looked into it, but the newspapers attorneys scotched the plan.
The reason: Park was being sued by people mentioned in the book. Even if he was going to win, the paper's attorneys were afraid they would be drawn into the suit for giving the book wider attention and they didn't want the bother.
Yikes!
This message is my quiet farewell to BlogCritics. It's too easy to get lost among the interesting discussions here, and I need to focus on my own work. I may come back from time to time to contribute to some discussions, but I probably won't be posting any more reviews.
People who want to keep on my latest reviews as they are published, such as The Botanist and the Vintner: How Wine Was Saved for the World and Master Mind: The Rise and Fall of Fritz Haber, the Nobel Laureate Who Launched the Age of Chemical Warfare or my upcoming reviews of Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope and The Republican War on Science, should bookmark the Science Shelf monthly newsletter or follow the link to subscribe to my twice-monthly e-mails that they will find there at http://www.scienceshelf.com/news.htm
Fred Bortz
3 - DrPat
Well, Dr. Fred, I live for danger! [grin]
But thanks for the reminder - I have added a disclaimer that should make things clear. This review first appeared on my own site two days ago, and no bad news yet...
4 - DrPat
jadester, I ran across this as a comment in a discussion of homeopathy, but since it didn't have its own link, I did not include it in the post:
Over and over, peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated either no correlation between EMF and leukemia, or only vague, broad links that could not be definitively linked ONLY to EMF. Yet we're still spending money looking for the link, by the millions every year.
Sound like the drunk looking for his lost key under the lamppost, because "the light's better here"?
5 - s aisenberg
I take no sides in the arguments about homeopathitic results, but with respect to the calculation about the amount of original material remaining after successive dilution, even if the original material is diluted away there is the possibility that the diluting water has acquired (been infected) with the properties of the original material. This could weaken the arguement about dilution removing the original material and the associated properties.
6 - DrPat
Freudian slip: "homeopathitic results"?
No mechanism has ever been shown to exist for the homeopathic "infection" of water with the characteristics of other substances. I think we can all be glad for that - if it were possible, there would be no pure water on Earth, since all the existing molecules of H20 have been cycled through the kidneys of innumerable animals, filtered through the wastes of eons of human occupation, or lain for milennia cheek-by-jowl with all kind of toxic minerals.
7 - Orlowski Zygmunt
My idea is very difficult for understanding. It is not difficult for engineer - mechanic, who knows very good the Pascal's law and even-arm lever.
Clean energy
The entire world is looking for a source of clean energy. I have discovered a certain paradox basing on which a machine called METOZ can be built which by harnessing the gravitation of our EARTH can produce clean energy.
The energy producing processis demonstrated and can be very easily confirmed by an experiment.
I am also in possession of a set of calculations which prove that the METOZ machine:
1/ does not consume water / 39 A5-pictures /;
2/ does not consume compressed air / 39 A5-pictures /;
3/ produces energy to the outside = 4839 kGm during a "swing cycle" /39 A5-pictures; this is a "weight cycle" = the centre of gravity of the water in the METOZ machine sinks ( downward movement )
4/ energy is produced / released to the outside = 44,600kGm during the "straightening cycle" / 39 A5-pictures. This is a "pressure cycle" = the water mass centre of gravity inside the METOZ machine travels upwards (upward movement)
Features: 1/; 2/; 3/; 4/, of the machine owing to appropriate dimensions of individual elements of the lever mechanism.
The METOZ has an even-arm lever of a 1.72 m length. The centre of gravity of the lever lies beneath the lever suspension point. The METOZ is equipped with two cylinders of a 1.6 m diameter each. Piston sidewalls do not contact directly with cylinder walls. The lever swing changes between and.
Figures (3 x 13 x 4 = 156) present temporary, consecutive action situations at intervals of.
The middle figure presents the machine and the side figures the position of the left and right cylinder and the mathematical description of these situations.
In the past I have made two models, which confirmed the legitimacy of my theoretical assumptions concerning the METOZ machine. I have got photographs.
I am looking for a person who would be interested in my invention. I can offer ample information. I look forward to hearing from you.
http://www.nets.pl/~metozor/three_levers.html
13 - 03 -2005 Gdynia, Polska Zygmunt Orłowski
P.S. The term "gravitational paradox" use in this description relates to the mathematical and physical description of the action of the METOZ-machine.
THE EARTH GRAVITATION CAN BE THE SOURCE OF CLEAN ENERGY.
Comments concerning machine "METOZ"
"METOZ" is able to realize the cycle "deflection" and the cycle "straighening." Both cycles are in accordance with current physic's laws. "METOZ" as machine can not work and hand over the energy because it would be inconsonant to the law of conservation of energy.
I propose to execute the following intelectual process: we have found ourselves in the Europe of XVII century. We know the trigonometry in the scope of being occured for "METOZ." We know what is the even-arm lever and moment of force too. Just appeears Mr. Baise Pascal / 1623--1662/ and he publishes his hydraulics law with adequated experiment. All thinkers are sure that this law is correct and quite real. This time someone invents machine "METOZ". Now turn up the following questions:
1/ why the implementation of the cycle "deflection" is impossible?
2/ why the implementation of the cycle "straightening" is impossible?Both groups: opponents and followers of bulding "METOZ" live in XVII--th century and they not know that:
a/ the idea of an "energy" will be introduced into science scarlerly in mid. of XIX century,
b/ the law of conservation of the energy will be exist scarlerly after 1847 y.
QVESTION!!!
WHAT KIND OF RATIONALY ENTERELY / ARGUMENT/ CAN BE DREAMED UP THE OPPONENTS OF BUILDING THE MACHINE "METOZ' IN XVII CENTURY.
8 - Orlowski
SO YOU THINK WE HAVE AN ENERGY PROBLEM ??? NO, WE HAVE A POLITICAL PROBLEM !!!
I am inventor and owner of Metoz machine invention. Everyone can take absolutely and legitimate the METOZ invention and build the Metoz machine. I can help only. I can not build METOZ. I am moneyless.
Thank you for your time and interest.
9 - cf
"I can not build METOZ. I am moneyless. "
That is perhaps because the old adage "a fool and his money are soon parted". After all, you try to build (or get people to invest into) a machine that violates the first law of thermodynamics. People can't try to do something more fundamentally foolish than this.
Please take this pathetic drivel to one of the new age web sites - who knows, they might even believe (in) you.
-ch