psychoceramics: The crackpot index

[Mitchell Porter <qix @ desire.apana.org.au>]

On the web at
<a href="http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/crackpot.html">crackpot</a>

THE CRACKPOT INDEX

A simple method for rating potentially revolutionary contributions
to physics.

* A -5 point starting credit.
* 1 point for every statement that is widely agreed on to be false.
* 2 points for every statement that is clearly vacuous.
* 3 points for every statement that is logically inconsistent.
* 5 points for each such statement that is adhered to despite careful
correction.
* 5 points for using a thought experiment that contradicts the results 
of a widely accepted real experiment.
* 5 points for each word in all capital letters (except for those
with defective keyboards). 
* 10 points for each claim that quantum mechanics is fundamentally
misguided (without good evidence).
* 10 points for each favorable comparison of oneself to Einstein, or
claim that special or general relativity are fundamentally misguided
(without good evidence).
* 10 points for pointing out that one has gone to school, as if this
were evidence of sanity.
* 20 points for suggesting that you deserve a Nobel prize.
* 20 points for each favorable comparison of oneself to Newton or
claim that classical mechanics is fundamentally misguided (without
evidence).
* 20 points for every use of science fiction works or myths as if 
they were fact.
* 20 points for defending yourself by bringing up (real or imagined)
ridicule accorded to ones past theories. 
* 30 points for each favorable comparison of oneself to Galileo,
claims that the Inquisition is hard at work on ones case, etc..
* 30 points for claiming that the &quotscientific establishment&quot is 
engaged in a &quotconspiracy&quot to prevent ones work from gaining its 
well-deserved fame, or suchlike.
* 40 points for claiming one has a revolutionary theory but
giving no concrete testable predictions.

John Baez