Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
This lecture delves into the realm of pseudo-sciences, para-sciences, and alter-sciences, exploring their distinctions from true science. It discusses the historical context, the blurred lines between belief and conviction, and the ongoing struggle for recognition between orthodox and heterodox knowledge. The lecture also examines the impact of cognitive marketing strategies, the challenges of separating pseudo-sciences from real science, and the rise of alter-sciences. Through various examples like geocentrism and flat Earth theories, it highlights the dangers of distorting scientific results to fit personal beliefs. The lecture concludes by emphasizing the importance of critical thinking in evaluating such phenomena.