Product Description

This work provides a lively critique of New Age beliefs and scientific fraud. Topics debunked include paranormal events, Freud's theory of dreams, shamanism and UFOs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #652871 in Books
• Published on: 2001-11-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Customer Reviews

Intelligent scepticism
If you've ever been tempted to try aromatherapy or (god forbid) ever thought about drinking your own urine for its medicinal qualities, then perhaps you ought to have a flick through this book. A collection of Mr Gardner's columns from a sceptical US magazine, it is the sort of book you can just dip into in no particular order. He moves from deep philosopical debate of tricky subjects to ruthless debunking of obvious crackpots with ease. For anyone with a scientific mind it this book is a breath of fresh air on the 'new age' burdened shelves of today's bookshops. I enjoyed the book a lot but I have two things to say against it. Firstly, many of the fads that Gardner dissects are pretty harmless despite been obviously scientifically dubious. If they work for some people they why begrudge them their happiness? Secondly, you get the feeling that Mr Gardner might miss something momentous in the future due to his obvious inability to believe something without there been a rock solid scientific explanation for it.
However, its enjoyable.

Nice idea, but no depth!
This is a book I was drawn to by the idea, that is to put to rest"unscientific" Psuedo (sort of) science. It looks at falibilities such asFreudian Psychology, Urine Therapy and arguably "way out" theories ofevolution such as Inteligent Design theories that provide an alternativeto Darwinian theory of natural selection.
Initially excited by the idea of the author beating these theories to thecurb, I was very quickly disapointed! The author informs the reader about"psuedo science" and it's excentricities YET does no more to evaluate andanalyse the theory against more accepted theories. All this seems to beis an unfair intelectual bashing by an author who wishes to throw his toysout of his pram...WITHOUT JUSTIFYING WHY!
Justification is the missing yet fundamental pillar in this book, andincreacingly noticable in it's absence. Entertaining in the processhowever.