Shared Vocabulary

Seventhsally · 27th August 2007, 07:37 PM

I am looking for some interesting examples of co-opted scientific terminology in non-scientific names and claims. A few favorites include 'Fractal Healing', 'Quantum Wellness', and just about anything with the word 'Crystal' in it. Please include any portmanteau words of particular woo-age, like my recently discovered favorite 'clairaudient'.

If anyone can point out where Chopra explains how wellness is a quantized phenomena, I think I'd like to read that.

plumjam · 27th August 2007, 07:55 PM

memes?

six7s · 28th August 2007, 02:17 AM

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Kenny 10 Bellys · 28th August 2007, 05:09 AM

Pretty much everything Deepak Chopra puts out has the word 'Quantum' in it, he might be a good place to start looking.

Dr Adequate · 28th August 2007, 05:35 AM

Well, all you have to do is combine science words with woo words in a Google search.

For example, fractal aliens brought this up in the top 10:

"The fullverse system thus forms a fractal determined by the will of the hive pyramidal hierarchy which is infinitely few at the top, the largest universe, which never exists and infinitely many at the bottom, the smallest universe, which never exists. The aliens at the top which does not exist control the bottom, the aliens at the bottom which does not exist control nothing but the pyramid under them. The pyramid on the back of the 1 dollar bill is incomplete for a reason, we have not built a universe generator."

And quantum freemasons turned up this as the first hit:

"The entire West is a giant Psychotronic Generator build by the Freemasons to ground the Archon Total Quantum Wave Function. The Enochian chequerboard is the anchor that holds this evil Anglo Demonic Reality in manifestation. The Middle Place is situated in Psi-Space and consists of the streets, buildings of the Anglo Demonic Reality, all linked by the Freemasons to the actual buildings... By putting the Illuminati Freemason Middle Place in Psi-Space the Archons use it to filter out everything the Quantum Wave Function of the corrupted reality of the Anglo Demonic Reality."

Hellbound · 28th August 2007, 06:29 AM

I'm tempted to search for "Quantum psychic fractal herbal homeopathic Chinese magnetic crystal aliens", but I'm afraid it would produce enough woo in one location to distort the space-time continuim and end the universe as we know it.

phildonnia · 28th August 2007, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Huntsman

I'm tempted to search for "Quantum psychic fractal herbal homeopathic Chinese magnetic crystal aliens", but I'm afraid it would produce enough woo in one location to distort the space-time continuim and end the universe as we know it.

Actually, it turns up a skeptical site!

Hellbound · 28th August 2007, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by phildonnia

Actually, it turns up a skeptical site!

Maybe there is yet hope for our species

Monza · 28th August 2007, 01:23 PM

OK, this is a bit off-topic but I hate when woo uses scientific terms incorrectly. The #1 word would have to be "energy". Scientifically speaking, energy is the time rate change of work. It has an SI unit, the Joule (Newton-Meter per Second) and can be measured. But woo-ers still think energy is some strange esoteric concept that can used to explain various phenomena.

Other examples are "vibrations", "waves" and "force". Each has a clear definition but is so often misused to be meaningless.

Hellbound · 28th August 2007, 01:25 PM

So you mean the quantum vibrations I feel in the mystic energy of my life-force are not producing psychic waves?

ETA: Dang, I think that's too coherent. Oh well, I can't think woo enough.

Seventhsally · 28th August 2007, 02:16 PM

Monza- not off topic at all-in fact my original reason for posting.

Other words in my list include: resonance, field, dimension, oscillation, wave, and vibration all of which my engineer brain has some pretty specific ideas about (and which are no doubt narrow, limiting, non life-affirming, and perhaps even communist)

Don't get me started on words like system, theory, hypothesis, assumption, and proof..

Monza · 28th August 2007, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by Huntsman

So you mean the quantum vibrations I feel in the mystic energy of my life-force are not producing psychic waves?

That's a little too good. Are you sure you belong here?

Seriously, if you were to post that on certain message boards, I am sure you will get responses from people who know what you are talking about...even if you don't. In fact, it might be fun to see if you can make something up and then see how many people recognize what you are saying.

Originally Posted by Seventhsally

...Other words in my list include: resonance, field, dimension, oscillation, wave, and vibration all of which my engineer brain has some pretty specific ideas about (and which are no doubt narrow, limiting, non life-affirming, and perhaps even communist)

Don't get me started on words like system, theory, hypothesis, assumption, and proof..

Yes, as an engineer it is very frustrating to see well defined terms used so inappropriately. Beyond terms, various concept are grossly misused. You already pointed out "quantum" mechanics in your OP. I would also say the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is one of the most popular concepts to find its way into pseudo-science. It is usually mis-stated, mis-understood and then extrapolated well beyond its true limits. What the Bleep Do We Know? and The Secret are two recent offenders.

Seventhsally · 28th August 2007, 06:33 PM

take the word 'Quantum' originally introduced by Planck in a paper in 1900 (don't bash me too hard if that's not exactly right) to mean something like 'a minimum amount of some physical quantity that can exist, and by multiples of which changes in the quantity can occur'. Then it gets applied to things like health, wellness, fitness, healing, etc.. not only which are not constrained to exisit infinite quanta, but which may not even be amenable to specific measurement at all. And then we have terms like Quantum Leap- usually meaning a huge change but which in fact implies a small, finite change (for example an electron transition might reasonable be called a quantum leap) I do not claim to understand the term 'fractal' that well myself (as least in terms of Hausdorff sets dimension) but when I see it paired with the word healing, I want to explode into a billion (small, self-similar) pieces...

Seventhsally · 28th August 2007, 06:34 PM

er, thats in finite quanta, not infinite quanta- sorry I am not a very good typist..

Ladewig · 28th August 2007, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by Monza

OK, this is a bit off-topic but I hate when woo uses scientific terms incorrectly. The #1 word would have to be "energy". Scientifically speaking, energy is the time rate change of work. It has an SI unit, the Joule (Newton-Meter per Second) and can be measured. But woo-ers still think energy is some strange esoteric concept that can used to explain various phenomena.

All I can say is I don't want none of that tainted or sullied energy. When I ascend I want to be a being of pure energy.

27th August 2007, 07:37 PM	#1
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40	Shared Vocabulary I am looking for some interesting examples of co-opted scientific terminology in non-scientific names and claims. A few favorites include 'Fractal Healing', 'Quantum Wellness', and just about anything with the word 'Crystal' in it. Please include any portmanteau words of particular woo-age, like my recently discovered favorite 'clairaudient'. If anyone can point out where Chopra explains how wellness is a quantized phenomena, I think I'd like to read that.
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40

28th August 2007, 02:17 AM	#3
six7s veretic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 8,710	The Skeptic's Dictionary A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions Alphabetical Index 510 ENTRIES from abracadabra to zombies
	__________________ Evolution and the rest of reality fascinates the be-jeebus out of me!

28th August 2007, 05:09 AM	#4
Kenny 10 Bellys Critical Thinker Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Central Scotland Posts: 291	Pretty much everything Deepak Chopra puts out has the word 'Quantum' in it, he might be a good place to start looking.
	__________________ Location: Directly above the centre of the Earth!

28th August 2007, 01:23 PM	#9
Monza Muse Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 933	OK, this is a bit off-topic but I hate when woo uses scientific terms incorrectly. The #1 word would have to be "energy". Scientifically speaking, energy is the time rate change of work. It has an SI unit, the Joule (Newton-Meter per Second) and can be measured. But woo-ers still think energy is some strange esoteric concept that can used to explain various phenomena. Other examples are "vibrations", "waves" and "force". Each has a clear definition but is so often misused to be meaningless.
Monza Muse Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 933

28th August 2007, 02:16 PM	#11
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40	Monza- not off topic at all-in fact my original reason for posting. Other words in my list include: resonance, field, dimension, oscillation, wave, and vibration all of which my engineer brain has some pretty specific ideas about (and which are no doubt narrow, limiting, non life-affirming, and perhaps even communist) Don't get me started on words like system, theory, hypothesis, assumption, and proof..
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40

27th August 2007, 07:55 PM	#2
plumjam Banned Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Valencia, Spain Posts: 7,837	memes?

28th August 2007, 05:35 AM	#5
Dr Adequate Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Waiting Long Enough By The River Posts: 17,897	Well, all you have to do is combine science words with woo words in a Google search. For example, fractal aliens brought this up in the top 10: "The fullverse system thus forms a fractal determined by the will of the hive pyramidal hierarchy which is infinitely few at the top, the largest universe, which never exists and infinitely many at the bottom, the smallest universe, which never exists. The aliens at the top which does not exist control the bottom, the aliens at the bottom which does not exist control nothing but the pyramid under them. The pyramid on the back of the 1 dollar bill is incomplete for a reason, we have not built a universe generator." And quantum freemasons turned up this as the first hit: "The entire West is a giant Psychotronic Generator build by the Freemasons to ground the Archon Total Quantum Wave Function. The Enochian chequerboard is the anchor that holds this evil Anglo Demonic Reality in manifestation. The Middle Place is situated in Psi-Space and consists of the streets, buildings of the Anglo Demonic Reality, all linked by the Freemasons to the actual buildings... By putting the Illuminati Freemason Middle Place in Psi-Space the Archons use it to filter out everything the Quantum Wave Function of the corrupted reality of the Anglo Demonic Reality."

28th August 2007, 06:29 AM	#6
Hellbound Abiogenic Spongiform Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: In a handbasket Posts: 8,922	I'm tempted to search for "Quantum psychic fractal herbal homeopathic Chinese magnetic crystal aliens", but I'm afraid it would produce enough woo in one location to distort the space-time continuim and end the universe as we know it.

28th August 2007, 09:44 AM	#7
phildonnia Master Poster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Sac'to CA Posts: 2,339	Originally Posted by Huntsman I'm tempted to search for "Quantum psychic fractal herbal homeopathic Chinese magnetic crystal aliens", but I'm afraid it would produce enough woo in one location to distort the space-time continuim and end the universe as we know it. Actually, it turns up a skeptical site!

28th August 2007, 12:55 PM	#8
Hellbound Abiogenic Spongiform Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: In a handbasket Posts: 8,922	Originally Posted by phildonnia Actually, it turns up a skeptical site! Maybe there is yet hope for our species

28th August 2007, 01:25 PM	#10
Hellbound Abiogenic Spongiform Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: In a handbasket Posts: 8,922	So you mean the quantum vibrations I feel in the mystic energy of my life-force are not producing psychic waves? ETA: Dang, I think that's too coherent. Oh well, I can't think woo enough.

28th August 2007, 03:53 PM	#12
Monza Muse Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 933	Originally Posted by Huntsman So you mean the quantum vibrations I feel in the mystic energy of my life-force are not producing psychic waves? That's a little too good. Are you sure you belong here? Seriously, if you were to post that on certain message boards, I am sure you will get responses from people who know what you are talking about...even if you don't. In fact, it might be fun to see if you can make something up and then see how many people recognize what you are saying. Originally Posted by Seventhsally ...Other words in my list include: resonance, field, dimension, oscillation, wave, and vibration all of which my engineer brain has some pretty specific ideas about (and which are no doubt narrow, limiting, non life-affirming, and perhaps even communist) Don't get me started on words like system, theory, hypothesis, assumption, and proof.. Yes, as an engineer it is very frustrating to see well defined terms used so inappropriately. Beyond terms, various concept are grossly misused. You already pointed out "quantum" mechanics in your OP. I would also say the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is one of the most popular concepts to find its way into pseudo-science. It is usually mis-stated, mis-understood and then extrapolated well beyond its true limits. What the Bleep Do We Know? and The Secret are two recent offenders.
Monza Muse Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 933

28th August 2007, 06:33 PM	#13
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40	take the word 'Quantum' originally introduced by Planck in a paper in 1900 (don't bash me too hard if that's not exactly right) to mean something like 'a minimum amount of some physical quantity that can exist, and by multiples of which changes in the quantity can occur'. Then it gets applied to things like health, wellness, fitness, healing, etc.. not only which are not constrained to exisit infinite quanta, but which may not even be amenable to specific measurement at all. And then we have terms like Quantum Leap- usually meaning a huge change but which in fact implies a small, finite change (for example an electron transition might reasonable be called a quantum leap) I do not claim to understand the term 'fractal' that well myself (as least in terms of Hausdorff sets dimension) but when I see it paired with the word healing, I want to explode into a billion (small, self-similar) pieces...
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40

28th August 2007, 06:34 PM	#14
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40	er, thats in finite quanta, not infinite quanta- sorry I am not a very good typist..
Seventhsally Student Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 40

28th August 2007, 06:38 PM	#15
Ladewig Hipster alien Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: not measurable Posts: 16,802	Originally Posted by Monza OK, this is a bit off-topic but I hate when woo uses scientific terms incorrectly. The #1 word would have to be "energy". Scientifically speaking, energy is the time rate change of work. It has an SI unit, the Joule (Newton-Meter per Second) and can be measured. But woo-ers still think energy is some strange esoteric concept that can used to explain various phenomena. All I can say is I don't want none of that tainted or sullied energy. When I ascend I want to be a being of pure energy.
	__________________ Is the JREF message board training wheels for people who hope to one day troll other message boards? It is not that hard to get us to believe you. We are not the major leagues or even the minor leagues. We are Pee-Wee baseball. If you love striking out 10-year-olds, then you'll love trolling our board.