From sentto-2242572-60163-1038787094-jm=jmason.org@returns.groups.yahoo.com Mon Dec 2 11:25:30 2002 Return-Path: Delivered-To: yyyy@localhost.spamassassin.taint.org Received: from localhost (jalapeno [127.0.0.1]) by jmason.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 87B9316F1B for ; Mon, 2 Dec 2002 11:23:21 +0000 (GMT) Received: from jalapeno [127.0.0.1] by localhost with IMAP (fetchmail-5.9.0) for jm@localhost (single-drop); Mon, 02 Dec 2002 11:23:21 +0000 (GMT) Received: from n39.grp.scd.yahoo.com (n39.grp.scd.yahoo.com [66.218.66.107]) by dogma.slashnull.org (8.11.6/8.11.6) with SMTP id gB1Num826429 for ; Sun, 1 Dec 2002 23:56:48 GMT X-Egroups-Return: sentto-2242572-60163-1038787094-yyyy=spamassassin.taint.org@returns.groups.yahoo.com Received: from [66.218.67.193] by n39.grp.scd.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 01 Dec 2002 23:58:15 -0000 X-Sender: fortean1@mindspring.com X-Apparently-To: zzzzteana@yahoogroups.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_2_3_0); 1 Dec 2002 23:58:14 -0000 Received: (qmail 35713 invoked from network); 1 Dec 2002 23:58:14 -0000 Received: from unknown (66.218.66.216) by m11.grp.scd.yahoo.com with QMQP; 1 Dec 2002 23:58:14 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO blount.mail.mindspring.net) (207.69.200.226) by mta1.grp.scd.yahoo.com with SMTP; 1 Dec 2002 23:58:14 -0000 Received: from 1cust36.tnt1.sierra-vista.az.da.uu.net ([68.129.20.36] helo=mindspring.com) by blount.mail.mindspring.net with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 18IdyW-0003T5-00; Sun, 01 Dec 2002 18:58:13 -0500 Message-Id: <3DEAA212.DB1DB03@mindspring.com> Organization: Terry's Bazaar X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.79 [en] (Windows NT 5.0; U) X-Accept-Language: en To: "Fort [Research]" , Forteana /Alternate Orphan/ , "uasr@topica.com" From: "Terry W. Colvin" X-Yahoo-Profile: terry_colvin2001 MIME-Version: 1.0 Mailing-List: list zzzzteana@yahoogroups.com; contact forteana-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list zzzzteana@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: Date: Sun, 01 Dec 2002 16:58:10 -0700 Subject: [zzzzteana] FWD (SK) Re: Quotation wanted [pseudoscience - a skeptic's view] Reply-To: zzzzteana@yahoogroups.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit The material appended below comes from Martin Gardner's book _Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science_ -- revised and expanded edition published in 1957 by Dover Publications, Inc. (New York City). Bill Bennetta _________________________________________________ "[M]ost pseudo-scientists have a number of characteristics in common. "First and most important of these traits is that cranks work in almost total isolation . . . in the sense of having no fruitful contacts with fellow researchers. . . . The modern crank insists that his isolation is not desired on his part. It is due, he claims, to the prejudice of established scientific groups against new ideas. . . . "The modern pseudo-scientist . . . stands entirely outside the closely integrated channels through which new ideas are introduced and evaluated. He works in isolation. He does not send his findings to the recognized journals, or if he does, they are rejected for reasons which in the vast majority of cases are excellent. In most cases, the crank is not well enough informed to write a paper with even a surface resemblance to a significant study. As a consequence, he finds himself excluded the journals and societies, and almost universally ignored by the competent workers in his field. In fact, the reputable scientist does not even know of the crank's existence unless his work is given widespread publicity through non-academic channels, or unless the scientist makes a hobby of collecting crank literature. The eccentric is forced, therefore, to tread a lonely way. He speaks before organizations he himself has founded, contributes to journals he himself may edit, and -- until recently -- publishes books only when he or his followers can raise sufficient funds to have them printed privately. "A second characteristic of the pseudo scientist, which greatly strengthens his isolation, is a tendency toward paranoia. . . . "There are five ways in which the sincere pseudo- scientist's paranoid tendencies are likely to be exhibited. "(1) He considers himself a genius. "(2) He regards his colleagues, without exception, as ignorant blockheads. Everyone is out of step except himself. Frequently he insults his opponents by accusing them of stupidity, dishonesty, or other base motives. If they ignore him, he takes this to mean his arguments are unanswerable. If they retaliate in kind, this strengthens his delusion that he is battling scoundrels. . . . "(3) He believes himself unjustly persecuted and discriminated against. . . . "(4) He has a strong compulsion to focus his attacks on the greatest scientists and the best established theories. When Newton was the outstanding name in physics, eccentric works in that science were violently anti Newton. Today, with Einstein the father symbol of authority, a crank theory of physics is likely to attack Einstein in the name of Newton. . . . "(5) He often has a tendency to write in a complex jargon, in many cases making use of terms and phrases he himself has coined. . . ." -- Terry W. Colvin, Sierra Vista, Arizona (USA) < fortean1@mindspring.com > Alternate: < fortean1@msn.com > Home Page: < http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/8958/index.html > Sites: * Fortean Times * Mystic's Haven * TLCB * U.S. Message Text Formatting (USMTF) Program ------------ Member: Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood (TLCB) Mailing List TLCB Web Site: < http://www.tlc-brotherhood.org >[Vietnam veterans, Allies, CIA/NSA, and "steenkeen" contractors are welcome.] To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: forteana-unsubscribe@egroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/