100943560

Kaitlin Richardson

100692941

The watchlist of Scientific-sounding Language is how some people will use language that sounds scientific, which usually doesn’t mean anything, to try and make it seem like what they are saying is correct and you should believe it.

Connection:

This watchlist item is used in A LOT of modern (and historic) media, conspiracy theories and even alternative medicines. In the media, you can use Doctor Who as an example. In many of the episodes, the Doctor will ask for things that sound important and scientific, but in reality, it's something that's completely made up. In conspiracy theories about ghosts, you often work with “energies”, ESP and specific/specialized equipment with big, fancy, scientific-sounding names. In alternative health, you see it a lot more. An example of this is “Quantum Healing”. In the article explaining the scientific ‘evidence’ of it, they frequently use words with scientific-sounding names. This is a direct sentence from the website explaining their science without actually explaining it. “... as quantum effects are generally observed at atomic and subatomic levels, not at the scale of human biological processes.” (Williams, 2023). Not only can these results not be routinely produced or hold demonstrable validity, but they also do not come from a reputable source.

(Williams, 2024)

The watchlist that the Results Can’t Be Reproduced is how proof or a claim can’t be reproduced or recreated to help support the claim.

Connection:

A connection to the inability for something to be reproduced would be iridology, which is the supposed ability and connection for looking at the eyes and diagnosing someone with an illness. This claim lacks any reputable sources, and if looking from a critical thinking perspective, the claims have no demonstrable validity. In Iridology done by a naturopath, all they need to do is look at your eyes, and they are supposedly able to tell if your liver is failing, or if your lymphatic system isn't doing its job right (Beim, 2014). With many of the “diagnosis charts” for the iris, practitioners may have varied results and graphs may be slightly different as there is no one graph that is 100% industry standard or required. Usually, the people practicing Iridology may have a background in medicine, but it is alternative medicine and can sometimes use dated practices. For this reason, I would also say that most (if not all) practitioners are not reputable sources or lack practice in some cases.

(Beim, 2014)

The watchlist of Deliberately Creates Mystery is how people will be vague in their claims. For example, believers will say they can’t explain it.

Connection:

If you've ever been to or seen a show about psychic mediums, or read your horoscope, you've definitely heard some very vague claims or questions. These claims are ambiguous, mysterious, and unexplainable, but somehow they apply exactly to you! “Someone you love will reach out to you soon” is something that can apply to everyone, but feels very specific to you in particular. Most people, if not everyone, have someone in their life that they love. This could be a parent, cousin, friend or romantic partner, all and any of which will likely reach out to talk with you. Plus now that the psychic has put it in your mind that a loved one will contact you, you will be looking out for this to happen which results in a confirmation bias. Another example of psychics asking vague questions can be their cold reading and asking open-ended questions to get and prepare for any response. This could be a question like “Have you ever had any pets?” to which a client can respond with either a yes or a no, and the psychic can give an appropriate response like “I didn't think so” or “I thought so”, and if the answer was yes they can continue with questions like “have you ever lost a pet?”. These open-ended, vague questions or statements allow psychics to easily adapt and react to gain more information on/about the person.

(Korn, 2024)

The red flag of Ancient Wisdom is basing a belief or idea that has been around for a long time or has a historical background.

Connection:

Another red flag is that of ancient, all-knowing wisdom that doesn't change or adapt over time. A good example of this red flag is how blood type allegedly determines who you will be, and it is highly anecdotal. In Japan, this is called Ketsueki-Gata, and this practice says it can predict your mentality and the pros and cons of your personality based on your blood type. Although not scientifically backed with demonstrable validity or reputable sources, it is embraced by Japanese culture like astrology in Canada/America

(Walden University, n.d.)

The red flag of Confusion of Correlation and Causation is the belief that two things are related. Like taking a certain vitamin cured an illness because it got better around the time you took the vitamin. 

Connection:

A perfect example of this is with colloidal silver in the alternative health community. I (Kaitlin) also have a somewhat personal experience with this. I had a friend whose grandparent was in the hospital for cancer treatment and in addition to doing chemotherapy, they were also taking/being given colloidal silver by their spouse. Despite also having treatment that involved chemotherapy, when the grandfather started to get better, they were skeptical of the chemotherapy and attributed that change in health to the colloidal silver. Despite the fact they were using modern medicine in addition to the silver, they had assumed it was the modern medicine that played the least of a role in him getting better, and they essentially thought they had debunked it. My same friend's grandfather was later in the hospital for a leg wound. Throughout his treatment, his wife would sneak in when the nurses weren't there and put colloidal silver into the open wound. When the nurses were stumped about why the wound was not closing, neither of them said anything about the application of the colloidal silver but attributed the fact it hadn't gotten infected to the use of colloidal silver instead of the care from the nurses. This shows a lack of critical thinking on both the part of the wife and husband, a distorted view of the truth and a lack of practice, all of which are barriers to critical thinking. My friend was mortified to hear how they were going off of anecdotal evidence and their devotion and belief in colloidal silver over modern, practiced and proven healthcare.

The red flag of Mystical Energy is the idea of mystical spirits being at work when no other explanation can be provided.

Connection:

Séances are a process of communication with the dead or mystical spirits which is usually done with the help of a medium. It starts with a group of people and a medium sitting at a table with lit candles and sometimes an object if you are trying to communicate with a specific person. It is usually also done in the dark. During these séances, many things can happen like objects moving, lights flickering, maybe the temperature changes and all of it is explained as mystical energy. It is best to go into these séances with skepticism as there are a lot of factors that can affect the outcome. Things like confirmation bias and groupthink will affect how you critically think about the experience. If everyone around you believes these mystical energies are causing the “unexplained” changes around you, you start to join in with their views. As for confirmation bias, if you go into the séance as a believer or hoping to get something, you can attribute everything around you to the mystical energies you invited and conjured. A simple creak of the floor or a curtain moving by a window that's barely opened. It is very easy to debunk the mystical energy. As the room is supposed to be dark, it is easy to fake the unexplained things around. Having a fishing line to pull an object, having the table shake with springs, or faking ectoplasm like Eva Carrière. During the Victorian age, she would take these photos of ectoplasm, she would cut faces out of magazines and try to distort them so no one would recognize them and would add them to her ‘ectoplasm’ and claim it is the mystical energy of spirit.

(Heaney, 2014)

(Wagner, 2019)

The red flag of Proof of Verbosity is when a massive amount of information is released to make something more believable and overwhelming without letting the other person take a minute to truly think and digest what was just thrown at them.

Connection:

Connection: Begrudgingly, a perfect example of proof by verbosity is seen in modern politics by both Ben Shapiro and Donald Trump. Mainly, Donald Trump and his verbal diarrhea any time he is in front of a camera. Oftentimes, he will bombard the audience by giving them a mass amount of “information”, “statistics” or “facts” really quickly which makes it difficult for anyone to try to oppose him and/or try to rebuke what he's said because he's already on a new subject with limited time for the listener or arguing competitor to think. In breaking down a single debate or speech held by him and looking at it through the lens of a skeptic, one can find just about every single term needed for this project as he often: has no demonstrable validity, lacks a reputable source, is easily debunked by a quick google search, appeals to group think through him and his followers confirmation bias through a distorted view of the truth, relies on anecdotes and word of mouth, and has all the barriers to critical thinking and is difficult to listen to, follow along or reply to due to the speed of the “information” being thrown at you. 

The red flag Suppression of Authority is the belief that authority is suppressing information or something that usually leaves the person(or a group of people) at a disadvantage. These beliefs are dangerous and lead to people who believe that doctors are poisoning and keeping people sick in order to keep money flowing back to them (Big-Pharma/mediceutical companies) or the belief that schools are keeping people dumb to keep control.

Connection:

A connection to this belief that we found quite interesting is that schools are allegedly made purposefully to keep people dumb and compliant. In many articles that are very pro-homeschooling and anti-public education schooling, the theme seems to be a distrust of the government. They feel that the authorities are suppressing them and they are skeptical about the intent of the people in positions of power, and often attempt to undermine or debunk what they have been told. As it is said in many articles, they feel children are taught to be subservient and obedient (Archon, 2016). Oftentimes, they also have a distorted view of reality in addition to falling victim to groupthink and confirmation biases.

(Archon, 2016).

The reason for belief of Emotional Connection refers to how emotions can blur reason and obscure rational thinking. 

Connection:

Imagine going about your life normally and then getting a diagnosis of cancer. The word cancer causes a feeling of dread and desperation. Now imagine you hear about a man who has created a cure that will heal you and give you your life back, you just have to pay for the treatment. Enter, Norman G. Baker. He had heard of a cure for cancer from Dr. Charles Ozias and sent 5 volunteers to test it out. He then procured the “cure” from Dr. Ozias in January 1930.  He would then go on to publish the findings in his magazine, The Naked Truth (TNT), for the December issues of 1929. He would go on to republish it in March 1930 and claim how all 5 volunteers made a full recovery even though by that time 4 of them had died and the 5th would die in May 1930. The scientific method applied to this “cure” proved that it didn’t help at all. The claims were made, experiments conducted and the conclusion was that it was not a cure. His first institute made $440,000 in 1930 alone. In the 2 years the first institute was opened, it made about $1,000,000. Most of his patients died thinking they were cured.

(Killerlane, 2017)

(Magazine, 2020)

The reason for belief of Ideology is the set of ideas based on belief and decisions. Some ideas can be based on religious beliefs or cultural beliefs.

Connection:
Nazism is a political party with nationalistic, totalitarian, and racist ideology (and lots more). The nationalistic party had the ideology that Germanic descendants, the Arryans, were the superior race. Through the critical thinking process, you will be able to think clearly about their claims. First, define their claim that Arryans are the superior race. Then you will want to recognize the biases towards the claim, those making these claims are of Germanic descent and usually a part of the Nazi party, they fully believe these claims and defend them. The next step is to evaluate the source, the people making these claims are of Aryan descent and to evaluate the evidence, there isn’t any. All evidence brought forward doesn’t follow the scientific methods and is done in a biased way. Lastly is the summary conclusion, that the claim is false and harmful. Nazism ideology was and is harmful, incorrect and just straight untrue.

(Nazism 2024)

The reason for belief on Simplicity is beliefs based on coincidence. This is the law of big numbers.

Connection:

The Law of big numbers is the inevitability of improbable events proving that the most bizarre coincidences are merely mathematical certainties. So if someone went and asked for some sort of sign and something happened and they believe that is a sign, it actually isn’t. Like asking for a sign from god during a thunderstorm and you are done asking for such a sign, lightning strikes and you believe that is a sign from god. It is a coincidence, an example of the law of big numbers.

The reason for belief of the Unexplained is how people will try and explain something they find unexplainable.

Connection:
David Blaine is an American magician, endurance performer, and mentalist. One of his most famous performances is how he basically throws up living creatures and water. It seems unexplainable, to bring up a living creature, usually frogs randomly. You wouldn’t know what to think, it’s unexplainable. However, if you really look, and apply critical thinking and skepticism, to the stunt and look in the past, you will see that something similar has been done by Hadji Ali during the 1930s and a gentleman from Africa, Winston Carter who surfaced in the early 2010s, and the stunt isn't what it seems at first glance. The process of actually doing it is through your stomach and core muscles to push it back up. It is not as unexplainable if you think critically.

(Blaine, 2015)

Beim, M. (2014, April 6). The beginner’s guide to iridology. Bodyandsoul; body+soul. https://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/health/health-advice/the-beginners-guide-to-iridology/news-story/fb73dcf78feeee4af328e1c04b9631ac

Blaine, D. (2015). David Blaine Water Spouting. YouTube. https://youtu.be/qSwfnmTx-EI?si=EYIqqP9I-7WYRFwZ

Blaine, D. (2016). Frog Trick for Drake, Steph Curry, & Dave Chappelle - David Blaine. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0fylxoxC_o&feature=youtu.be

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2024, November 5). Nazism. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Nazism

Heaney, K. (2014, February 20). The science and the scam of the séance. Pacific Standard. https://psmag.com/social-justice/science-scam-seance-75109/ 

Killerlane, J. (2017, October 17). Con man: The fraud who claimed to have a cure for cancer. History Collection. https://historycollection.com/norman-baker-man-claimed-cure-cancer/ 

Korn, B. (2024). Responsible Thinking: Vague Claims. Truthpizza.org. http://www.truthpizza.org/logic/vague.htm

Magazine, S. (2020, January 1). The charlatan of the Ozarks still looms over the haunted Crescent Hotel. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/charlatan-ozarks-still-looms-over-haunted-crescent-hotel-180973743/ 

Wagner, S. (2019, January 4). How to conduct a séance. LiveAbout. https://www.liveabout.com/how-to-conduct-a-seance-2593035

Walden University. (n.d.). What Your Blood Type Says About You: A Fun, Educational Look at Your Health and Personality | Walden University. Www.waldenu.edu. https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/health/resource/what-your-blood-type-says-about-you

Williams, L. (2023, November 24). What is Quantum Healing & How Does It Work? Innergrowthcenter.com. https://innergrowthcenter.com/quantum-healing/

Negus, L. (2019, July 23). Quantum Healing. Star Magic. https://www.starmagichealing.org/quantum-healing-3-2/ 

MEDIA 2

Zhao, P. (2024). Authentic Eastern Health - Iridology. Easternhealth123.com. https://www.easternhealth123.com/Iridology.aspx

MEDIA 3

Monroe, A. (2019, July 29). How to prepare for a psychic reading. Bellesprit. https://www.bellesprit.com/how-to-prepare-for-a-psychic-reading/ 

MEDIA 4

Berthold, E. (2018, May 4). Understanding different blood types. Curious. https://www.science.org.au/curious/people-medicine/understanding-different-blood-types

MEDIA 5

Premium colloidal silver spray 40ppm 3.4 fl oz optimal concentration formula, smaller particles, Better Results Laboratory Certified Liquid Silver with free spray bottle to fill & ebook. Premium Colloidal Silver Spray 40ppm 3.4 fl oz - Optimal Concentration Formula for Better Results | Laboratory Certified | Includes Free Spray Bottle & Ebook. (n.d.). https://www.gosupps.com/premium-colloidal-silver-spray-40ppm-3-4-fl-oz-optimal-concentration-formula-smaller-particles-better-results-laboratory-certified-liquid-silver-with-free-spray-bottle-to-fill-ebook.html 

MEDIA 6

McCarthy, E. (2012, October 24). Silencing the dead: The decline of spiritualism. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/10/silencing-the-dead-the-decline-of-spiritualism/264005/ 

MEDIA 7

memeify18. (2019). I will talk fast for you [Online Picture]. In Fiverr. https://www.fiverr.com/memeify18/talk-fast-for-you

MEDIA 8

Independent Digital News and Media. (2021, October 7). 10 top UK schools to consider for your child. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/10-top-uk-schools-to-consider-for-your-child-b1902101.html

MEDIA 9

JF Ptak science books: A bloated alphabet of fat cures: Strychnine pills, vibrators and hope. (n.d.). https://longstreet.typepad.com/thesciencebookstore/2012/01/an-alphabet-of-fat-cures-strychnine-pills-vibrators-and-hope.html 

MEDIA 10

WAR-DOCUMENTARY.INFO. (2024, March 27). Nuremberg Rally Grounds today: Nazi Party rally grounds. Maksym Chorny’s personal blog on WWII. https://war-documentary.info/nazi-party-rally-grounds-nuremberg/

MEDIA 11

Loy, S. (n.d.). Fossilized lightning. A Moment of Science - Indiana Public Media. https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/fossilized-lightning.php 

MEDIA 12

Loy, S. (n.d.). Fossilized lightning. A Moment of Science - Indiana Public Media. https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/fossilized-lightning.php

MEDIA 13

Blaine, D. (2016). Frog Trick for Drake, Steph Curry, & Dave Chappelle - David Blaine. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0fylxoxC_o&feature=youtu.be