Journal article explanations of how science
works often differ from the actual process
According to 55 percent of 350,000 people from 70 countries who participated online in Richard Wiseman’s Laugh Lab experiment (discussed in last month’s column), this is the world’s funniest joke:
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing, and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator says, “Calm down. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says, “Okay, now what?”
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data,
narrative,
Richard Wiseman,
science,
science writing,
scientific method,
theory
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About the book
A thorough, objective, and balanced analysis of the most prominent controversies made in the name of science — from the effectiveness of proposed medical treatments to the reality of supernatural claims. Is there any truth to alien abduction and cold fusion, recovered memories and conspiracy theories? Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptics Society and Skeptic magazine, and his team of well-known scientists and scholars have created an open-minded and authoritative two volume set that gives evidence both for and against extraordinary theories. (continue reading…)
belief,
paranormal,
pseudoscience,
science,
skepticism
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In Darwin’s Shadow explores the multi-faceted side of this polymathic genius, including his work in ancient history and archaeology, animal behavior, astronomy and cosmology, botany, entomology, ethnography and ethnology, evolutionary ethics, evolutionary theory, exobiology, history of science and evolutionary thought, geography and geology, linguistics, the origins of life and the plurality of worlds, paleontology, phrenology, primatology, spiritualism, systematics and taxonomy, and zoology. Shermer also delves into the many eccentric and fringe causes championed by Wallace throughout his career: anti-vaccination, conservation of the environment, crime and punishment, eugenics, labor reform, land nationalization, railroad nationalization, religion and the role of institutionalized churches, socialism, trade regulation, and women’s rights and suffrage. (continue reading…)
biology,
Darwin,
evolution,
science,
Wallace
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In The Borderlands of Science, Michael Shermer takes us to the place where real science, borderline science — and just plain nonsense — collide. Shermer argues that while science is the best lens through which to view the world, it is often difficult to decipher where valid science leaves off and borderland, or “fuzzy” science begins. To solve this dilemma, he looks at a range of topics that put this boundary line in high relief. For instance, he debunks the many “theories of everything” that try to reduce the complexity of the world to a single principle. He examines the work of Darwin and Freud, explaining why one is among the great scientists in history, while the other has become nothing more than a historical curiosity. And he reveals how scientists themselves can be led astray, as seen in the infamous Piltdown hoax — the set of ancient hominid bones discovered in England that after decades turned out to be an enormous forgery.
From SETI and acupuncture to hypnosis and human cloning, this enlightening book will help readers stay grounded in common sense amid the flurry of supposedly scientific theories that inundate us every day.
paranormal,
philosophy of science,
pseudoscience,
science,
skepticism
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