On the Fringe: Where Science Meets Pseudoscience

Gordin (Einstein in Bohemia), a science historian, takes readers on a revelatory tour of pseudoscience and what lessons can be learned from it. “Pseudoscience is a lot like heresy: if the label sticks, persecution follows,” Gordin declares, breaking fringe beliefs down into four broad categories and providing historical context. Vestigial sciences are those which were once considered mainstream domains of scientific research, but have since been relegated to the dustbin of history, such as alchemy and astrology. Hyperpoliticized sciences are “arms of a particular political ideology,” among them“Lysenkoism,” an unproven method of genetically modifying crops that arose in the U.S.S.R. (Despite pushback from geneticists, Stalin claimed it was the only legitimate science and declared classical genetics pseudoscience.) “Counterestablishment” sciences, including UFOlogy, mimic structures in mainstream science such as journals and conferences, while the parapsychological sciences include extrasensory perception, which Gordin refers to as “one of the most widely known” pseudosciences. Gordin does not offer an easy answer to his question of “what is to be done?” and instead suggests that a better understanding of fringe science’s history will allow readers to recognize the few that may “cause significant public harm.” This will be helpful to anyone curious about how to separate the wheat of science from the chaff of pseudoscience. (Apr.)