Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience is an effort to make an arbitrary claim sound plausible by expressing it in scientific-sounding terms. The trick relies upon the listeners poor understanding of the terms used and of science in general. Pseudoscience is frequently used in advertising in an effort to give a false sense of credibility to unsupportable claims.

Pseudoscience in Science Fiction

Pseudoscience occasionally appears in science fiction stories to lend an air of plausibility to the writer's plot points. It differs from technobabble in that it subverts an actual scientific concept instead of being mere gibberish.

Common Pseudoscientific Claims

• Many "alternative medicine" claims are based on pseudoscience
• the "theory" of Intelligent Design relies heavily on pseudoscience

See Also

• Mike Wong's essay on pseudoscience