Delineating Science from Pseudoscience - Essay Example

Certain methods of understanding are often touted as science even though they do not meet the critical definition of the word. My purpose is to delineate science from pseudoscience. In doing, I present my reason for choosing this subject, review a dictionary definition, and offer a more precise meaning.It is important to understand what science really means. People often present evidence as if it is science to bring credibility to their claims. Unfortunately, this method of communication only serves to confuse people most of the time.

Take Scientology for example. The name itself contains the root of science, but there is little science involved in its claims.Let us look at the dictionary definition of science. Dictionaries usually define science in terms of observation and explanation or as methodical inquiry or as knowledge in virtue of experience. These general notions are insufficient to describe the actual nature of the scientific endeavor. They fail to include the one thing that makes discovery possible.A more precise definition is accepted by the scientific community.

Although a system of understanding may contain all of the dictionary meanings, it is not truly science if it does not meet one criterion. In order for a system of knowledge to be considered a true science, it must be falsifiable at least in principle. That means if a system of knowledge only interprets observations in favor of its theory; it is not a science because it can never reveal new understandings about reality. What if Copernicus had simply accepted the notion of a geocentric universe We would have never known the Sun as the center of our solar system.

My purpose was to delineate science from pseudoscience. It was accomplished through the justification of reason, an investigation of lexical definitions, and the submission of a critical definition. Understanding the popular meanings of words is sometimes not helpful enough in comprehending reality as it actually is.