Eight views on Chupakabra

Recently, I have to oppose the newly-sounded pseudoscience: DNA genealogy A. A. Kleosov, the systemology of E. D. Sivinikov, less-about the esoteric runology of V. A. Chudinov, the organism of A. A. Tunyaev, and in the past I struggled with the dominance of the new teaching of the language of Academician N. Ya. Marra. Therefore, when I stumbled on the Internet on an article by Irina Shlion “eight of the most popular pseudoscience” (on the Pravda.ru website), I involuntarily lingered, although the most popular people were just interested in me. After all, everything is clear with them. Astrology, alchemy, phrenology, palmistry ... horoscopes, stuck in almost all newspapers, removal of damage, fortunetellers of the leap of the generals of atheists ...

However, from the very first lines something hit me, and I began to read on. The author seems to reject all pseudoscience, but it does it somehow strange. It is said about astrology, palmistry and ufology (for example): “... although they have all the signs of real science, these directions are attributed to“ pseudo -scientific ”, or even at all“ pseudoscientific ”.” I just believed that in no case do they have all the signs of real science, but only some, and, exposing these some, often purely external (the presence of links, pile of facts), they imitate real science. Then, the “pseudo -scientific” directions look at the author as the first deviation from scientificity, and then “pseudoscience” (this is an extreme). In fact, “pseudo-” means “false” in Greek. That is, there are synonyms. Apparently, the author confused pseudo-scientists with paranable (near-scientific) areas, which, having only some signs of science (accumulation of facts, experience), do not pretend to be, like, say, traditional medicine (in the simplest cases, suitable, but with the risk of dangerous mistakes).

And then it becomes clear that the author uses the word “paranauki” as a synonym “pseudo -nausea” (“and all“ paranas ”exist only at the level of hypotheses, assumptions and observations”).

Turning to specific pseudoscience, Shlion is first taken for astrology . This is what she sees the lack of horoscopes: “But although most often the features of a person correspond to his“ zodiac type ”proposed by astrologers and many separate discrepancies are found. Therefore, on astrological data you can only focus on in general terms. ” That's how! Just like in medicine. It would be very appropriate to cite studies in which it is statistically convincingly shown that most often the features of a person correspond to his zodiac and only in some cases there are discrepancies. Otherwise, instead of refutation, pseudoscience is a complete excuse!

The following is Numa Rogi - "The doctrine of the influence of numbers on the fate of people and various processes." Pythagoras founded her. “Probably,” Schlionskaya said respectfully, “Pythagoras would not throw words into the wind. But there is such a difference in numerological methods that it is difficult to understand which one is the most true ... It is clear that in the end different numbers are obtained, and whether it is possible to judge by them a big question about them. ” That's what, it turns out, the trouble of numerology! The techniques are different! The numbers that we still receive are under a big question. It is like physics or genetics: there are many hypotheses, while there is no unity of opinions, you need to wait; The unity of opinions will be achieved on these controversial problems - and the “big question” will be removed. The mysterious numbers that guide our behavior and predict the future will be discovered. Respect for Pythagoras will be completely restored. It is only incomprehensible to what pseudoscience has to do with it? Why on earth should they enroll the numerology founded by the Pythagoras itself?

Further in the list is the physiognomy of ka , which is trying to prove the connection between the appearance of a person and the features of his personality. “Meanwhile, people with a similar appearance can sometimes have completely different characters. This was shown by the studies of the pairs of twins. " Well, let's say, the studies of the twin pairs showed just something else. “So you should not draw unequivocal conclusions.” Is it not quite clear? But then the physiognomy is not quite pseudoscience?

Hiromania , or the “art of“ reading ”fate along the lines and Bogram in a human palm, is an art, meticulously mastered by gypsies. Is this science? Practicing gypsies can be classified as scientists? Shlion begins to think. “The problem is that different manuals and guidelines provide a different interpretation of palmar patterns. In addition, drawings on the right and left palms often do not coincide. Many nevertheless recognize palmistry, but only a few can correctly interpret the palmar symbols. And in order to become a real palmist, it is necessary to study for a long time and seriously. ”

Well, everything is completely clear here. The problem is that in the interpretation of the palmar patterns, it is necessary to eliminate disagreement - this is as with a single history textbook. The methods of this case have been worked out: to create a government commission, to select the palmisters close to the Kremlin into it, the rest of the interpretations cannot be “not recommended” for use or even declare “undesirable”. Of course, block the channels of the "Western" sources of interpretation. No right -wing and left discrepancies - take these slopes under control. Moreover, it is extremely important for government organs to master the methods of reading hidden thoughts and motives of each person.

So there will be the opportunity to "correctly interpret the palmar symbols." In the scientific. And to “study for a long time and seriously” palmistry - this is necessary, like any science. The announcement of all this pseudoscience can be described exclusively as the machinations of the fifth column.

Well, of course, homeopathy took its place in the list, but as a “paramedician” direction. It is interpreted in a strange way as the use of plant preparations. The principle of homeopathy itself disappeared somewhere-to expel the similar one: treatment with small doses of poisons that caused the disease. Then follows an amazing phrase: “Although there are numerous evidence of the effectiveness of such treatment, most medical research has not confirmed that these funds have a therapeutic effect.” This means that there is a clear contradiction: numerous evidence, facts speak of effectiveness, and research denies this. So bad research.

And the interpretation of the Ropsichology is completely clear - "such phenomena as clairvoyance, telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation and hypnosis." Hypnosis is mixed here so that it becomes less eccentric generalization: “Of course, all these phenomena exist, since there are many examples. But at the same time, no one still managed to explain their nature and bring out some patterns. ” I would very much like to get acquainted with the studies of movements by the power of gaze, vision through a luminous board, etc.. Until now, for some reason they all led to failures.

The author recognizes the only ufology by the failed science: so far nothing has been confirmed. Unidentified flying objects could not be identified. And those who were identified turned out to be ordinary.

Cryptozoology and Kryptobot Nick hunt for a snowy man, Loch-Nesky monster and chupacabra. “They monitor the facts of the appearance of such creatures, but they are not able to identify them.” But the acts are still tracking? So, they develop as sciences and, when they manage to identify their monsters, will become sciences?

Bottom line: “How can we relate to“ paranaches ”? Reject or take into account? Maybe they should be considered as theories that have the right to exist, but not as an undeniable truth. After all, unnecessary knowledge is never harmful. ”

Here again, a mixture of pseudoscience with paranasks and the likening of their sciences, an equation to sciences, but have not yet reached complete maturity.

At the very end of his review, Shlion analyzes the reasons why astrology and similar knowledge are rejected at the state level. About the astrologer: “Suppose he made a forecast for you, which has not been completely confirmed, and, moreover, following him, you lost a lot of money. Can you in this case prove in court that the error of this “specialist” caused you damage? No, because there is no unified methodology for checking the activities of astrologers, and not a single colleague of this unsuccessful predictor would fundamentally convincingly prove that he was mistaken. ”

So, you need to develop a unified methodology for checking astrological conclusions, horoscopes and everything will be in order? It will be possible to lead a new subject into the school or at least university program - astrology, finance astrology institutions, establish the position of the chief astrologer of the Russian Federation, and the media have already been rebuilt.

And the general conclusion: “Thus, the results of the research“ Paranauk ”are not recognized at the state level, not because all officials are such“ limited ”and“ inert ”. Just in the event of an error of this scientist, you can bring to justice by conducting an appropriate examination, but “parachistess” - no. And if so, then the responsibility for failure will lie on the official himself, which he, respectively, cannot allow ... "

Well, all the pseudoscience have become “paranaches” and suffer from the egoism of officials - quite like the Academy of Sciences.

An excellent article in Wikipedia about pseudoscience relieves me of the need to explain what it is. All the popular science presented here on pseudoscience on the Pravda.ru website very much like a aecdotic blonde. But this is a poetess who graduated from the journalism faculty of Moscow State University.

Moreover, Shlion is a full -time correspondent of the publication, a famous journalist, author of 19 books! However, when we see the names of these books, much will become clearer: “Modern parapsychology” (2004), “Damn - incomprehensible or unknown?” (2004), “Contacts with the parallel world” (2006), “Penalty people. Encyclopedia ”(2007),“ numbers and fate. As the numbers predict the events of our lives ”(2008),“ Brief Encyclopedia of Practical Magic ”(2009).

So the attitude of Irina Shlion to pseudoscience is clear: she is their tireless popularizer. It is strange that the Pravda.ru publication entrusted with a review of the pseudoscience of their adherent. But this reflects the general shift of the communist press from “scientific atheism” to militant Orthodoxy, obscurantism and all mystics and esotericism.