In short: Whether something is 'science' depends on its processes and underlying philosophies, and not on its superficial appearances. Hence, stuff can sometimes appear 'scientific' when it is actually not scientific at all...AND SIMILARLY, stuff can sometimes appear 'unscientific' or silly, when it is actually perfectly scientific and reasonable.

1. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes

2. What makes something (or someone)
scientific?

3. What makes something (or someone)
scientific?

4. Science

5. Science

6. Science

7. Science
http://ed.fnal.gov/projects/scientists/index

8. The language of science
“Penguinone”

9. The language of science
“Traumatic acid”
“Erotic acid”
“Moronic acid”

10. The language of science
“diethyl azodicarboxylate”
or “DEAD”
“2'-deoxyuridine-5'-
monophosphate”
or “dUMP”
“tripentafluorophenylborane”
or “BArF”

11. The language of science
“poly-L-ornithine” “Arsole”
or “PORN”
“Fornacite”
“Dickite”
“Cummingtonite”

12. The language of science
“poly-L-ornithine” “Arsole”
or “PORN”
“Fornacite”
“Dickite”
“Cummingtonite”

13. The language of science
“Fukalite” “Fucitol”
“Fuchsite”
“Fucol” Escherichia coli K-12 substr.
MG1655 Gene:
“fucU”

14. The language of science
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/sillymolecules/sillymols.htm

15. The language of science
Turdus migratorius

16. The language of science
Agra vation

17. The language of science
Aha ha

18. The language of science
Enema pan

19. The language of science
Burgeranus

20. Ways of knowing
Authority
Rationalism
Intuition, etc.
Science

21. “Science” (blah, blah, blah)
“any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical
world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased
observations and systematic experimentation”
(Encyclopaedia Britannica)
“1. the systematic observation of natural events and
conditions in order to discover facts about them and to
formulate laws and principles based on these facts. 2. the
organized body of knowledge that is derived from such
observations and that can be verified or tested by further
investigation” (Academic Press Dictionary of Science & Technology)
“The real purpose of the scientific method is to make sure
Nature hasn't misled you into thinking you know something
you don't actually know.”
(Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)

22. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes