Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience is an effort to make an arbitrary claim sound plausible by expressing it in scientific-sounding terms. The trick relies upon the listener's poor understanding of the terms used and of science in general. Pseudoscience is frequently used in advertising in an effort to give a false sense of credibility to unsupported or even fraudulent claims.

Pseudoscience in Science Fiction

Pseudoscience occasionally appears in science fiction stories to lend an air of plausibility to the writer's plot points. It differs from technobabble in that it subverts an actual scientific concept instead of being mere gibberish.

Common Pseudoscientific Claims

• Many "alternative medicine" claims are based on pseudoscience
• The "theory" of Intelligent Design relies heavily on pseudoscience
• White Supremacists commonly claim they are more "evolved" then other races and similar claims made by other racists about their personnal enthicity.

See Also

• Mike Wong's essay on pseudoscience