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Essay by ojsnjnsdvjCollege, UndergraduateA, November 2014

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Jade Natali

Professor Cicero

Writing 101

2 October 2013

Critique of Science Indicators

Science Indicators 2000: Belief in the Paranormal or Pseudoscience is an article that appears in Joseph Calabrese's book, but originally was published by the Science Board. Also, this article was primarily written by Mellisa Pollak, but the Science Board takes credit for this piece because many members of the Science board have likewise contributed to this article. The Science Board was originally "established by Congress in 1950" and "oversees the National Science Foundation and the presidential matters of science", this shows how valid the NSB's credentials prove and explains the authority this board has in the science field(NSB 55). In this article, it addresses just how common the belief in extraterrestrial life forms and the paranormal are and who (or what) is responsible for making such beliefs so widespread. In The NSB's first subheading, it begins to inform the negative effect these ideas can be to critical thinking, and scientific advances.

Then, it is gone over in detail the commonality of such beliefs and the role gender, social standing, and intelligence plays in relation to what type of pseudoscience is popular in such groups. Lastly, the authors then begin to evaluate the role media has played in spreading such ideas to the general public, and describes how it glamorizes the belief in pseudoscience with the production of many T.V. shows, movies, and even comic books. This article is concluded by mention of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) and then explains the impact media has had on the general public, in relation to the belief in pseudoscience and what CSICOP is doing to show the skeptic's side.

When reading the credentials of the National Science Board, it is expected to...