What if scientists do not follow the scientific method? Will they draw conclusions that are always accurate? Watch the video below to learn about the difference between science and pseudoscience.
Have you ever had a psychic reading?
Or read your horoscope to determine what your day will be like?
Maybe you’ve considered taking an herbal supplement each day after reading about its benefits on social media.
People commonly use these practices to help them make decisions about their lives. But should they?
These practices are all examples of pseudoscience.
The prefix pseudo- means false.
Pseudoscience is not considered science because it does not follow the scientific method to make its claims.
Therefore, pseudoscience is based on beliefs, not facts.
If you don’t feel well, your doctor may give you medication that has been proven to work based on science.
This means that the medication has been tested thoroughly using the scientific method, and those tests have been reviewed carefully by other scientists.
When you read about the discovery of a new star or other celestial object, it is the result of the work of astronomers who use the scientific method to constantly learn about our universe.
You use the scientific method to make decisions every day. You observe, predict outcomes, try things, and then analyze what happened.
This way of thinking builds our knowledge of the world around us based on facts, not beliefs. And that is science!
Clearly, science is rooted in factual, empirical evidence that can be repeated through the scientific method. Pseudoscience, on the other hand, is not necessarily based on the scientific method and may, therefore, be disproven if tested. Think about the question below, and then click on it to check your answer.
What is the difference between science and pseudoscience?
Science involves evidence that can be proven and repeated through the scientific method. Pseudoscience, however, is not based on the scientific method and might be disproven if tested.
