title: Pseudoscience: A Critical Encyclopedia
author:  Brian Regal 
description: Regal (history of science, Kean University) has compiled an interesting survey of pseudoscience. His introduction on the definition of pseudoscience and its social and philosophical implications is a very good way to start to think about pseudoscience and how to detect it. The 124 entries range from a paragraph to several pages. Most have citations for further reading, and many also have see references to other articles. Topics range from Creation science to Bigfoot and Unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Besides a description of the phenomenon, the longer articles describe its pseudoscientific aspects. A few topics, such as Blind testing, are included to help readers understand the difference between scientific and nonscientific approaches. All the articles are good, and some, including those on Eugenics, Intelligent design, and Pseudohistory are useful introductions to those ideas. The bibliography lists some items as current as 2008 but no Web sites. The 40 line drawings were commissioned for the book, but in some cases (for example, entries for individuals) stock photographs might have worked better. There are a number of typos. Even with its flaws, the book is useful, as there are not many resources on the side of skepticism that are as civil and as fair as this one. Public libraries as well as academic libraries with popular culture or history of science courses should consider acquiring this title. Also available as an e-book. --Kathleen Stipek
zlib_text:  Pseudoscience 
  
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   Pseudoscience 
   A Critical Encyclopedia 
   Brian Regal 
   GREENWOOD PRESS
   An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC 
  
    Copyright 2009 by Brian Regal 
   All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, 
  stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, 
  electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for 
  the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in 
  writing from the publisher. 
   Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 
  Regal, Brian.
   Pseudoscience : a critical encyclopedia / Brian Regal.
     p. cm.
   Includes bibliographical references and index.
   ISBN 978-0-313-35507-3 ( hardcopy : alk. paper) · ISBN 978-0-313-35508-0 
  (ebook) 1. Pseudoscience · Encyclopedias. I. Title. 
   Q172.5.P77R44 2009 
   001.9 · dc22   2009023703
   13 12 11 10 09  1 2 3 4 5 
   This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an eBook. 
   Visit www.abc-clio.com for detai