WHAT A SHAME- A look at the low points in the modern media. PSEUDOSCIENCE ON TELEVISION- LOGIC AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD NEED NOT APPLY: WHAT'S IN A NAME?

THE PRODUCERS OF PSEUDOSCIENCE TELEVISION PROGRAMS Employ Several Other Gimmicks, in Hopes That it will Grant Them a Measure of SCIENTIFIC RESPECTABILITY IN THE EYES OF VIEWERS.  THIS IS TO COUNTER THE ALMOST UNIVERSAL SCORN THAT COMES FROM ACADEMIC AND SCHOLARLY CIRCLES. 

                                                 EXAMPLE #1.

-  WHAT DO THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE IN COMMON, IN TERMS OF THEIR VALUE TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY?

SCIENTIST.

THEORIST.

RESEARCHER.

INVESTIGATOR.

PSYCHIC.

.... among others.

They are Designations that ARE USED ON PSEUDOSCIENCE PROGRAMS, REFERRING TO THOSE WHO APPEAR AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE "EVENTS" BEING FILMED FOR THAT PARTICULAR EPISODE.

They sound Impressive Don't They?  Wouldn't it be great if you could tell others you too were a "Scientist" or "Theorist"?  Where can you get the kind of EDUCATION, TRAINING, OR KNOWLEDGE TO JOIN THESE EXALTED RANKS?

Actually, NO WHERE SPECIAL. THESE ARE TERMS THAT REQUIRE NO SPECIAL LICENSING, EDUCATION, OR SKILL SETS TO BE ACQUIRED FOR YOU TO REFER TO YOURSELF, OR ANYONE ELSE, WITH ONE OF THESE TITLES.

(PSYCHIC, UNLIKE THE OTHERS, HAS NO REAL SCIENCE OR SOUND REASONING BEHIND IT, TO INDICATE THAT SUCH AN ABILITY EVEN EXISTS.) 

In other Words, anytime you hear one of these Terms Used to Describe someone appearing on the TV Screen, DON'T BE FOOLED INTO THINKING THEY KNOW ANY MORE THAN YOU DO ABOUT ANY GIVEN SUBJECT OR TOPIC.

WE'LL LOOK AT THIS MORE CLOSELY IN THE NEXT SEGMENT.