In this book Robert Park describes seven warning signs that something presented as scientific may be pseudo-scientific and fake. He uses many examples from Science history to illustrate the following seven warning signs:
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Pseudo-scientists work in isolation from the mainstream scientific community.and do not expose their work to their critical review.
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Instead, pseudo-scientists make their so-called scientific claims directly to the popular media, rather than to fellow scientists.
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Pseudo-scientists claim that a conspiracy or vested interests have tried to suppress the discovery or the claims
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If the possibility of self-fulfilling prophecy in the experiments has been excluded from the observations supporting the claims , their effects appear so weak that observers can hardly distinguish them from noise. No amount of further scientific work seems to increase the effects the way it has been predicted..
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Anecdotal evidence is used to back up the claim.
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True believers cite ancient traditions in support of the new claim.
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The discovery, if true, would require a change in the understanding of the fundamental laws of nature.
He has also a chapter about the 'belief gene' that tends to reinforce and extend already established beliefs about reality while filtering out contradicting experience.
The relevance of this book for Co-Counselling
The book can provide Co-Counselling with warning signs for situations in which the search for evidence-based co-counselling theory and practice might turn into voodoo or pseudo-science..