_____________________ by Azrael Hikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1 en-us 2017-02-13 16:31:41 UTC 2024-04-06 05:48:04 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Bigthunderstorm.png azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153490767 2017-02-13 16:57:49 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153490767 Pseudoscience Red Flag #1 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153493463 Appeal to Authority
Taking advantage of celebrity endorsements, using lab coats or fancy degrees/certifications in order to distract from the truth.

example:
When a company manufacturing fake diet pills tried to use Rebel Wilson's image as celebrity endorsement.
]]> 2017-02-13 17:05:28 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153493463 Pseudoscience Red Flag #2 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153496092 Ancient Wisdom
Implementing archaic wisdom, usually long ago disproven, in modern life. Usually tied to "alternative" medical therapies and, more commonly, fatal side effects.

example:
Remedies such as using urine to cure acne or gizzards to cure diarrhea are only a select few from this article.]]> 2017-02-13 17:12:19 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153496092 Pseudoscience Red Flag #3 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153498221 All Natural
The idea that anything man-made is harmful to the body, and therefore any "natural" remedy must be better in comparison.

example:
While some homeopathic remedies may indeed have the intended effects, many are actually harmful to the health.

]]> 2017-02-13 17:18:48 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153498221 Pseudoscience Red Flag #4 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153503405 Confusion of Correlation with Causation
Mistakenly assuming that a correlation between subjects means that they cause one another.

example:
All penguins eat fish and all penguins die, but eating fish is not the cause of penguin deaths.]]> 2017-02-13 17:34:23 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153503405 Pseudoscience Red Flag #5 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153506588 Mystical Energy
A concept referring to various phenomena used in various forms of esoteric spirituality and alternative medicine. 

example:
Chi, Negative/Positive Energy, Life Force, Chakra, using crystals such as this image of a Selenite Horn.]]> 2017-02-13 17:43:53 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153506588 Pseudoscience Reason for Belief #1 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153511850 Patternicity
When the brain finds deeper meaning and imagery in shallow subjects.

example:
Myrtle Young collected and donated potato chips in the shape of various things, and appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show for them.]]> 2017-02-13 17:59:44 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153511850 Pseudoscience Reason for Belief #2 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153517145 Emotional Connections
The mind being more susceptible to persuasion due to the emotions attached to the phenomena.

example:
The Chinese believe that white moths, as in the image, are physical manifestations of the spirits of loved ones.]]> 2017-02-13 18:12:52 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153517145 Pseudoscience Reason for Belief #3 azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153521213 Unexplained
An open understanding due to the unexplainable and unknown nature of the subject.

example:
When the first crop circle was discovered, many blamed it on The Mowing Devil. Later, a newspaper discovered the article written about it.]]> 2017-02-13 18:24:21 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153521213 Can psychic detectives help investigations? azraelhikage https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153566454 The Peter Sutcliffe case is one of many to have been hindered, not helped, by clairvoyants.
The article is written by Duncan Cambell who is a freelance writer who has written for The Guardian for more than 20 years. He previously worked for City Limits, Time Out and LBC, as well as written a few novels. The article also has many embedded links to outside sources.

The biggest bias that can be associated with a case like this is emotional because people are willing to do and believe anything to console fraught emotions. With this, some of the negative impacts brought about by hiring psychics and clairvoyants could be that they add too much to the mix–conflicting information that could make a trail go completely cold. Often, psychics can submit wrong or fake information just for the sake of saying they had given the information first. But that doesn't mean that all clairvoyants have bad intentions.

An alternative solution would be relying more individually on information. This means taking advice from psychics claiming to have information, but taking each with a grain of salt. There still has to be formal investigation run but don't completely rely on the information they feed. Another could be cutting out the psychic system completely because too many eager cooks tend to spoil the pot.

Seeing as there have been cases where hiring a psychic has helped the case along, I don't think that cutting them out completely is the solution. Since psychics often have very good analytical skills, it would be useful to keep them on-hand. But instead of completely relying on their information, the police should simultaneously run their own analytics and investigate parallel to the clairvoyants.]]> 2017-02-13 20:36:12 UTC https://padlet.com/azraelhikage/para_pseu_padlet1/wish/153566454