Alternative
Science: Challenging the Myths of the Scientific Establishment
by Richard Milton
"Science", "scientific" or "based upon scientific
methods" means something must be the "truth"; right? Wrong! What
is accepted as "science" or "scientific" today, or at any time, will sooner
or later become outdated, false and generally unwarranted, yet the proponents
and practitioners of "science" too often proclaim utter rightness and demand
absolute adherence to their theories (which they call "facts"). This becomes
MUCH more true as fields such as psychology, psychiatry, ecology, and sociology
attempt to be recognized and accepted as legitimate "hard sciences" like
chemistry, physics or electronics - which they are NOT. They even use wording
to make it seem they are on an equal footing of "scientific achievement"
- social "science" and life "science". They may aspire to exist
as a legitimate "science" in these areas, but their current form is very
far from that aspiration. A close look at the subjects of modern psychology,
psychiatry, sociology, and even theories such as Darwinian evolution betray
the very wide gulf separating those subjects from any legitimacy as a workable
science.
Customer Comments
tzethus@netscape.com from
Dallas, TX, November 2, 1998
A very important book.
This is one of the most interesting books
I've seen in quite awhile. Well researched and written. In my opinion it
is one of the most important books to read for anyone interested in any
field of science. It is brilliant as a work on the sociology of science,
and as a general warning to all those who pursue truth that the truth you
accept today may not be there tomorrow.
|
