The Pseudoscience of the Modern World - 1624 Words

The creation and development of Alchemy has been teeming with countless stories of philosophical theories, alchemic brilliance, and public ridicule and disgrace due to failure to create a legendary substance known as the Philosophers stone. As a result, this stone has been one of the most pursued objects of Europe an history providing the driving force for Alchemy. This sacred art is what pioneered the very first tools, process, and theories of modern chemistry (Alchemy). Current generations of Americans were most likely introduced to the concept of Alchemy in American literature such as in works by Shakespeare (Alchemy in Art). Many of these books actually portrayed real characters such as Nicholas Flamel, a real alchemist in the 13th†¦show more content†¦His other theory states there are four Aristotelian Qualities: hot, dry, wet, and cold. Each classic element was thought to be a different combination of two of these qualities (Aristotle). Aristotle also gave a theory that was most likely responsible for the search for gold. The theory stated that perfection in the natural world is achieved over time. Not a bad idea, even in modern culture. Aristotle had much reason to believe in this. Natural transformations to perfection could easily be observed throughout nature. Examples include seeds turning into plants or caterpillars turning into butterflies. In both cases, a flower is the highest form of a seed. A butterfly is the highest form of a caterpillar. The greeks believed that gold was the highest form of metals. They also reasoned that metals grew in the earth. Similarly to a butterfly or seed, given enough time, all metals would eventually grow into gold. When the idea of the Philosophers Stone was heavily introduced in the 8th century, it was thought to speed up this growing (Alchemy and the Road). Greece’s enormous progression in all arts during the Hellenistic was due to the constant conquering of land by Alexander the Great. Among his first captured land was Egypt. Because he now had control of Egypt, he had access to Egypts treasures. This is where he discovered the Emerald Tablet and introduced it to the world. The tablet isShow MoreRelatedThe Differences Between Science And Science848 Words   |  4 Pagesinvestigation (2012, p. 123). Pseudoscience is any type of method or theories, such as astrology, that is considered to not have a scientific basis (2015). Pseudoscience doesn’t follow the scientific method like science does. It sticks with evidence that is found instead of figuring out if it is acclaimed in the natural world. Majority of this essay of course will come from Carey’s book, since it gives a better way to summarize the differences between these two subjects. Pseudoscience and science do haveRead MoreMedicine : A Long Unfortunate History Of Pseudoscience And Folklore1045 Words   |  5 Pages Medicine has a long unfortunate history of pseudoscience and folklore. In medieval times, the prescribed cure for a sick child would be to place a gourd in the crib of the infant. Pseudosciences such as astrology plagued the sick public with helpless cures. Many ills were thought to be soothed by bleeding the patient, which in reality did nothing, but harm the patient. It was said that early doctors would, â€Å"bleed, blister, and purge their patients to early graves.† Most of the naive philosophiesRead MoreShould We Let Astrology Affect Our Thinking Or Perception Towards Life? Essay1569 Words   |  7 Pagesthat astrology is a pseudoscience, but there is a small amount of scientific evidence on whether if it is truly a pseudoscience or not. Some of them discuss that the psychological belief in astrology of oneself is the consequence of his or her desperation in finding solutions to their personal problems such as marriage and career which can somehow affect their life because of its psychological effects (Bennett, 1998). Besides, astrology is considered as an â€Å"ancestor† of modern science which is supportedRead MorePhilosopher Karl Popper And Empirical Falsification929 Words   |  4 Pagesif a hypothesis cannot be refuted, then it is not a scientific claim. Untestable ideas and theories within science are dubbed â€Å"pseudo-science† by Popper, because they have no falsification. Things like Anthropology and Sociology are considered pseudoscience because they involve case studies and do not actually test any specific theories or hypothesis. Popper’s criteria for a scientific theory to be considered real science is illustrated in his â€Å"Science as a Falsification†. For example, scientistsRead MoreThe Between Good Science And Pseudoscience1491 Words   |  6 Pagesbasic study. 5. Psychoanalyst → Trained in therapeutic approach started by Freud. Pg. 33, Looking Back 1. How does â€Å"psychobabble† differ from serious psychology? To tell the difference between good science and pseudoscience, one must look at the basic characteristics of each. Pseudoscience, or â€Å"psychobabble†, hooks people on the basis of confirmation in popular beliefs. It utilizes the art of wording and creates a pretty veneer of scientific actuality, when in reality, the branches it entails likeRead MoreThe Dilemma Of Scientific Demarcation. Science Has A Textbook1818 Words   |  8 PagesThe Dilemma of Scientific Demarcation Science has a textbook definition, a vague definition. â€Å"Practical and intellectual interest, through logical study of structure and behavior of the physical and natural world, through observations and experimentation.† Pseudoscience entertains an ambiguous definition as well. â€Å"claims that are presented as scientific, but deemed erroneous by the scientific method.† For a consensus to be reached on a definitive criterion of demarcation is possible, but not plausibleRead MoreThe Invention Of Modern Medicine1216 Words   |  5 Pages A revolutionary invention in modern medicine has changed the world in the past fifty years. In the 20th century, diseases such as polio, diphtheria, and rubella were commonplace and claimed millions of lives. Now they are something of the past- these illnesses are considered ‘eradicated diseases’. This massive increase in population immunization is due to the invention of vaccines and artificially acquired immunity. Vaccinations are critically important in preventing and maintaining individual andRead MoreAssess the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Psychodynamic Approach to Understanding Personality1681 Words   |  7 Pagesarising of ego defence mechanisms which explain individual differences in behaviour. Freudian theory has been adapted by neo-Freudians, however while psychodynamic theories and treat ments from which are still often used and widely known across the world, other theories of personality offer completely different approaches to human individuality and explanations diverge and provide weaknesses for Psychodynamic theory. Firstly, a brief account of psychodynamic theory. Freud proposed that there areRead MoreDemarcation in Philosophy of Science2129 Words   |  9 Pages  methods, implications of  science, and with the use and merit of science. Demarcation The  demarcation problem  in the  philosophy of science  is about how to distinguish between  science  and nonscience, and more specifically, between science and  pseudoscience (a theory or method doubtfully or mistakenly held to be scientific). The debate continues after over a century of dialogue among  philosophers of science  and  scientists  in various  fields, and despite broad agreement on the basics of  scientific methodRead MorePsychological Elements of the Crowd Essays1552 Words   |  7 PagesConforming to Riots: Psychological Elements of the Crowd I. Introduction From a psychological standpoint, crowds have been an elusive, enigmatic and frightening phenomenon; the nuances of the human mind in itself are elements which evoke worlds of study on their own, let alone the implications of attempting to analyze a collective of such minds. However, the study of crowd psychology is obligatory to enhance knowledge in many a field of study, including criminology and political science. Society’s