Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction : Where Real Science Ends...and Pseudoscience Begins - Softcover

Charles M. Wynn; Arthur W. Wiggins

Softcover

ISBN 10: 030907309X ISBN 13: 9780309073097

Publisher: Joseph Henry Pr, 2001

Synopsis

Astrology...poltergeists and ghosts...firewalking...spontaneous human combustion...psychic surgery...ESP. This is the stuff of tabloid headlines. Sure, many people find them laughable, but consider that these papers are all staying in business because people are buying them-and often believing in their outrageous stories, even labeling it all science. The fact is that not all "science" is created equally. Indeed, some "science" isn't science at all but is really downright bogus-in other words, pseudoscience. However, separating the wheat from the chaff might not be as easy as you think when you consider how many people are seduced by the headlines that surround them in the supermarket line. UFOs and creationism certainly have their advocates among intelligent and educated people. Sometimes, though, wrongly held beliefs can get you into real trouble. Consider the proclamation by Marshall Applewhite: "Planet Earth about to be recycled. Your chance to survive-leave with us."In April 1997, 39 people-believing just that-committed suicide in their communal home in Rancho Sante Fe, California. They hoped to shed their earthly "containers" and be whisked away by extraterrestrials to a spaceship and, ultimately, a higher level of existence. Unfortunately, their tragically misguided belief in the pseudoscientific claim of Marshall Applewhite cost them their lives. "Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction" takes us on a tour of the most notorious instances of pseudoscience and sets the record straight. To clearly demonstrate what is wrong with this brand of ersatz science, the authors look closely at what's right about real science, and then compare the true scientific approach with that of pseudoscience. Readers learn that science's most basic value is that all ideas about reality are subject to testing by experiment and challenge by critical, rational thought.Scientifically literate thinkers accept ideas tentatively. They base their acceptance on evidence rather than on authority. People who are not scientifically literate are more likely to accept ideas absolutely. They are more vulnerable to deficient or phony ideas. "Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction" draws the line between what is good science and what isn't even really science at all. The basis for the book begins with the examination of the five most widely believed pseudoscientific ideas: UFOs, out-of-body experiences, astrology, creationism, and ESP These ideas are reviewed in detail to see just how well they stand up to scientific scrutiny. Cleverly illustrated with cartoons by the renowned Sidney Harris, "Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction" is both wonderful fun as well as illuminating science.Although many science topics can seem mysterious, especially when you really get into the details, in the long run its methods and ideas are remarkably straightforward. "Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction" takes this methodical approach to dissect the worst in the field. Tremendously witty, disarmingly fun, this is a book for anyone-especially for those folks who check their horoscope everyday.

About this title

About the Author

Charles M. Wynn and Arthur W. Wiggins, With Cartoons by Sidney Harris

Review

"...succinct and jargon-free style... The strength of this book resides in such sparkling prose." -- Journal of the American Medical Association, April 3, 2002

"...worthy and well-meaning...readable and likeable..." -- THE SKEPTIC MAGAZINE, 2001

"Peppered with humorous cartoons of Sidney Harris...offers valuable tips for anyone pondering the shaky claims of bogus science." -- Stacey's Booksellers, Staff Review, November 2001

"Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction is a very approachable book on pseudoscientific subjects." -- Alberta Skeptics

"This is non-technical but very good. Unfortunately most Americans will be off reading pseudoscience trash rather than this." -- Leptonic's

"an excellent primer on Science and Pseudoscience, complete with a set of straightforward techniques for telling the difference between them." -- New England Skeptical Society, July 2001

...the public has much to gain from the authors' contrast between the nature of scientific evidence and the stories of pseudoscience that fill the media. -- Dr. Arthur Eisenkraft, National Science Teachers Association President 2000-2001

Here we have, in their book, a clearer look at the misconceptions and outright deceptions that plague us. Lots of sunlight, and a dash of disinfectant! -- James Randi, aka The Amazing Randi

Quantum Leaps is one of a far too small cluster of rational books that responds to 'voodoo science' issues such as UFO's, astrology, and other such nonsense. -- Leon M. Lederman, winner of the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physics

This book is an enjoyable and informative primer...with wonderful cartoons by Sidney Harris that complement the text. -- Lawrence M. Krauss, author of Atom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth...and Beyond

About this edition

• Publisher: Joseph Henry Pr
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 030907309X
• ISBN 13: 9780309073097
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 226
• Illustrator: With Cartoons By Sidney Harris