Here Be Dragons - Critical analysis of pseudoscience 1of5

Intelligent Design and Young Earth Creationism have received much media attention over recent years in their attempts to misrepresent science and insert their particular brand of pseudoscience into the public school science curriculum. Despite their dramatic losses in the courts, the fact that many people blindly believe their lies is indicative of a deeper problem.

Most people fully accept paranormal and pseudoscientific claims without critique as they are promoted by the mass media. Here Be Dragons offers a toolbox for recognizing and understanding the dangers of pseudoscience, and appreciation for the reality-based benefits offered by real science.

Here Be Dragons is written and presented by Brian Dunning, host and producer of the Skeptoid podcast, author of Skeptoid: Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena, and Executive Producer of The Skeptologists.

Brian was kind enough to allow me to post this program to this channel. Check out his podcasts at,

http://skeptoid.com

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=AE587A4C7E406380

http://www.youtube.com/profile_play_list?user=djarm67

Category:

Education

Tags:

• skeptoid
• brian
• dunning
• pseudoscience
• pseudo
• science
• paranormal
• creationism
• intelligent
• design

[12stringsforme]

Then go collect his 1 million dollar reward for proof of 'paranormal' phenomena. It's a fair and open challenge.

[DINDRAGON]

His definition of pseudo-science is valid.

[BigFatHeretic]

I think a map of Washing DC labeled with "Here There Be Dragons" would be most appropriate, because we have a lot of Republican (Retardican) right-wing Christard Funny-mentalists in Congress and the Senate who are trying to pass legislation to insert Creationism into science textbooks and enacting all sorts of draconian laws to take away more of our Constitutional rights. Yeah! Washington DC. Here there be dragons!

[yillow1]

I dont buy into pseudoscience or homeopathic crap. But why did the video show images of like salmon oil and colon cleanse stuff? Fish oil is high in omega fatty acids, which are good for the body. Unless that particular brand claimed to have magical healing properties or something.

[blehblehbleh86]

@poorkinghaggard No, it claims to be, but so far not one single "parapsychologist" has ever shown anything that could not be explained by the mundane. It's pseudoscience. It doesn't get to pick and choose whether it's pseudoscience any more than a cat chooses to be a ham sandwich.

[blehblehbleh86]

@poorkinghaggard The money exists. Goldman Sachs has it, and will provide you evidence if you ask for it. The tests simply have to be scientifically valid, which is a self-correcting mechanism that can determine what is happening. Thinking that is somehow unfair speaks volumes about your lack of rational thinking. No wonder you believe bullshit - your baloney detection kit is fundamentally broken. Hopefully not beyond repair.

[tommyk77]

@poorkinghaggard The JRef has a legit challenge that the participants agree to before entering. Hovind askes for impossible 'evidences'.

You comparison is flawed

[poorkinghaggard]

I reject to your application of the word "fair" because the Challenge rules explicitly are unfair by design. For example, Randi is under no legal obligation to relinquish his money (if it exists). He also has several criteria that are selectively bias, such as a requirement for a "media presence" and "academic" witnesses outside the Foundation.

There are no significant scientific discoveries made by his criteria, and I would love to see otherwise.

[12stringsforme]

Eating garlic also makes your sweat smelly.

[libertyfalls]

You mean fish oil and cracking my neck wont make my nightmares go away? lol! I love this dude. I subscribe to his podcast and he blows me away every week. Brian dunning 2012!

[warriorprince1010]

Dragons simply means "fabulous reptile". They usually meant pterosaurs, dinosaurs, crocodiles and large snakes. On maps dragons usualyl appeared in areas that had been seen and hence why they saw dinosaurs in those areas. Many towns are named after dragons. We have found dinosaurs [dragons] in the fossil record so we know they existed. This is how science history works.