More Pseudoscience
Extension of midterm for final project by: Malachi Rowe - Section 5
Pseudoscience is defined as "a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method". There are many different examples of pseudoscience, such as cryptozoology, the study of "hidden creatures" like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, different medicinal unproven methods, such as certain herbs or vegetables healing major illnesses, and also the more science-fiction side of pseudoscience which I will be going into more detail about, such as aliens, witches, ghosts/demons, or other folklore like the wendigo.
Aliens
There has been much talk about aliens and their roll in the development of humankind. Some believe that they helped us build the pyramids, saying that they were the reason we finished them in the short amount of time that scientists report it happened. There are many examples of aliens in history that many people strongly believe in, such as a spacecraft leading the wisemen to baby Jesus and not the north star, as well as some believing that they helped us build the pyramids, saying that they were the reason we finished them in the short amount of time that scientists report it happened. Or even more modern stories such as crop circles or abductions.
Although there are many people who believe aliens visited Earth or that the government is hiding evidence of extraterrestrials, such as Col. Gordon Cooper an American astronaut, most believe that they exist but they just haven't or don't want to visit this planet. The universe is infinite and that makes people believe that there is a high chance of other planets having the ability to support life. Some also believe that they also don't have the technology to contact us or visit our plant, while others believe that they choose not to visit us because of humankind. As said best by Arthur Clarke,
“I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It's just been too intelligent to come here.”Even though there are many people who believe in aliens, nothing has been proven by science which, by definition, means it is an example of pseudoscience.
Witches
Witches have been around since biblical ages, surrounded by many different stereotypes and stories. Though they were not always called witches or had green skin with warts and rode broomsticks, they all carried the same attributes or characteristics. In greek mythology they were those who could see the future or know certain prophecies, in the bible they were those who could speak to the dead or even show apparitions of them. In more modern times though, they are known for practicing rituals or tying themselves to worshiping certain deities. While some modern practices are on the lighter side, such as burning of incense, rituals with crystals, or incantations, some are on a darker and deeper path. These include Luciferianism, or the worship of the devil, blood rituals, black magic, curses, poisons, or even demon conjuring. Though none of this has been scientifically proven, these practices could obviously lead to violence or even death in certain communities or cultures.Ghosts/Demons
Ghosts can be described as many things. In some cultures a ghost can be seen as a spirit of nature or a "good presence" in the world, and in some they are the spirits of someone or something that has passed away. Many believe that they have seen a spirit of some kind whether it be in person, through a mirror, a photo, or some other way. According to paranormal researchers, spirits of people who have passed could either be those who have lost their way and are stuck on this plane of existence, or vengeful spirits who are here for a reason or purpose and will not leave till that is fulfilled. In many religions and cultures there are certain people who can sense or feel the presence of spirits, some actually able to see them and some able to speak or interact with them. These people have had many names over the years such as, prophet, witch, medium, psychic, or many other names. For most, they are just scammers who lie to those that come to them by using simple techniques, while for others they are their connection to the other side and the only way to speak to their lost loved ones. Helena Carter, who played Princess Margaret in the TV show The Crown, went to a psychic to gain approval from the royal herself before she continued on with the show.
"My main thing when you play someone who is real, you kind of want their blessing because you have a responsibility," Carter said at the Cheltenham literature festival.The Wendigo
My personal favorite creature in pseudoscience, would have to be the wendigo. The wendigo is a creature in tribal culture that also has the name of "Flesh Eater of the Forests". It is described as many things and said to have many aspects. Some believe that the wendigo is a large slender being with decaying flesh and missing lips or toes, some think that they are enormous beasts many times larger than a man, but all that believe in them know them to be a person who has resorted to cannibalism in either the mountains or the forests.
“...a large creature, as tall as a tree, with a lipless mouth and jagged teeth. Its breath was a strange hiss, its footprints full of blood, and it ate any man, woman or child who ventured into its territory. And those were the lucky ones. Sometimes, the Wendigo chose to possess a person instead, and then the luckless individual became a Wendigo himself, hunting down those he had once loved and feasting upon their flesh.”They have been portrayed in pop culture many times such as the book and movie Pet Sematary, as well as many games such as Fallout 76 or Until Dawn, both portraying how the wendigo looks in different ways. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yb1Yf0LNEU
QUIZ
1. What did Arthur Clark say about aliens?
2. Who visited a psychic to talk to Princess Margaret?
3. How does a wendigo come to be?
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever gone to a medium or tried talking to the dead?
2. Do you or your family do any rituals or practices?
3. Have you ever had an encounter with a spirit or demon of some kind?
4. What are some other folklore that you have heard of or believe in?
Sources
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mn-wendigo/
https://people.com/celebrity/10-celebs-who-have-had-actual-ghost-encounters/?slide=6369817#6369817
Comment links
https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2020/05/final-post-erin-rone-section-05.html?showComment=1588695659338#c2579832538703843861
https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2020/05/thomas-aquinas-granville-hinton-final_4.html?showComment=1588696008240#c3538364826161119090
Malachi Rowe section 5
ll runs after break
Never missed a single run before break
I have never encountered a demon but I have had several experiences with spirits. None of them were scary, like some people say they are, but they were honestly comforting. It was mostly family members who had passed and were probably just coming for a look around. As for my favorite folklore, I have always been really interested in most all cryptids and creatures, because my dad educated us on them when we were small, but my favorite is the story of Mothman.
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Poor Gordo. Of course we have "hard evidence" of unidentified objects in the atmosphere. It's quite a leap of thought, to infer aliens from our ignorance.
ReplyDeleteBut I for one do hope we'll be contacted by benevolent fellow citizens of the cosmos. Could be a game-changer... but we'd better retain our skepticism when we meet them. (Beware aliens bearing books with titles like "To Serve Man"...-see Twilight ZOne)
I personally never knew much about pseudoscience until our midterm presentation. There are also many creatures I knew but didn’t know was part of “pseudoscience.” I have noticed most of these creatures seem to be from different culture, which make me wonder how many different ones we have, other than the ones we don’t know of course.I have never tried to talk to the dead, mostly because I think there may be a specific way to without having anything go bad.
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