Special Articles — Sounds Sciencey
Unmasking "scientifical" claims, sham inquiry, and science imposters in popular culture. A column by Sharon Hill.
“Phenomenology” Paranormal Conference Shows Shift from Sciencey to Spiritual
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
April 24, 2013
When paranormal investigators give up on sciencey stuff, what's the alternative? The spiritual. I take you on a tour of a recent paranormal convention.
Leave Us Alone, You’re Spoiling Things
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
March 29, 2013
The Skeptic is the unwanted visitor to the paranormal-themed discussion. Questions are unwelcome; they spoil the fun. “Why do you bother nagging on the ghost hunters, the Bigfoot believers, and the UFOlogists,” they ask, “Why not go do something to stop real harm?”
Burning the Mean and Disparaging Skeptic Straw Man
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
March 1, 2013
Does “skeptic” equal nasty, obnoxious and shouty? No? Then why do we get automatically tagged with those characteristics even when we are not? The word carries some connotations. But that ought not bar an exchange between skeptics and believers. We have some bridges to build.
The Trouble with Pseudoscience—It Can Be a Catastrophe
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
January 30, 2013
Pseudoscience is what one might call a two-dollar word. Skeptics often throw it around because of its weightiness and the values it transmits. We need to talk about this word, where it came from, and why we should be cautious about using it.
Appreciating Science: A New Approach to Science in our World
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
November 14, 2012
Members of the public don’t know much about science, and they seem fine to leave science to the scientists. That’s Trouble.
Weird news: Believe it? Or not?
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
September 13, 2012
Every day, I scour the Internet for news. Not just any news. Weird news. What bizarre thing was seen, heard, or found today?
Astrology: More like Religion Than Science
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
July 25, 2012
Proponents have no plausible explanation for how astrology might work. Whenever you have to resort to “insert supernatural here,” your concept is no longer a scientifically testable hypothesis.
Decisions, Decisions: The Problem with “You Decide.”
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
July 2, 2012
My memory may be biased, but doesn’t it seem like every unsolved mystery television program has ended with the proposition “you decide?”
Bad Reaction: The Toxicity of Chemical-Free Claims
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
May 25, 2012
I had a startling realization a few years ago: I discovered that not everyone thinks science is good for humanity. How can that be? Scientific discovery makes our lives better, richer, longer, and healthier.
“You are Not Entitled to Your Own Bigfoot Facts”
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
April 25, 2012
Once upon a time, not so long ago, I came across a website that provided “Bigfoot Facts” for kids. The site didn't say from where these facts were derived but they were commonly circulated in various books and all over the web.
Black(water) Market: Digging Up the Dirt about Slick Designer Beverages
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
April 2, 2012
On my regular stop to see the newest beverages one day, I noticed a slick, thin black bottle. The label read “Spring water enriched with Fulvic Acid.” Intrigued, I bought the 16.9 ounce bottle for $1.89.
Apocalyptic January and the Portents of Doom
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
March 7, 2012
They were science-based Doomsday agents, effective in scaring the bejeezus out of generally rational people. And the arrival of 2012—heavily weighted with (very commercially exploited) “End of the World” overtones—serves to popularize these stories even more.
“Scientific”: It’s just a catchphrase!
by Sharon Hill
Sounds Sciencey
January 17, 2012
Science is all these things: a process, a way of looking at a topic, a community, an infrastructure, a career, a set of results, an authority, and more. We can use the word in many ways. That means it can be abused in many ways as well.
