psychoceramics: Footnotes of Cracked Science

[Bruce Ediger <b--@c--.net>]

"Nathan Shumate" <n--@1--.com> writes about Science Crackpots:
> No, I mean _real_ footnotes -- you know, like grown-up scientists use.

I'm not sure you really want this.  I've got a collection of Neo-Velikovskian
literature.  One of the best pieces is a copy of "Aeon" magazine.  Some
Neo-Velikovskian attempts to explain the Old Testament in terms of the
"Saturn Hypothesis", a variant of Velikovsky's Cosmic Pinball that
involves Mars and Earth orbiting either Saturn, or a larger
proto-planet that's a combo of our current Saturn and Jupiter.  The
trick is that Earth's rotational axis points radially inward, and that
Mars consistently remains between Earth and Saturn/proto-planet.

Anyway, the article is composed in the form of a scientific paper,
complete with vector diagrams, equations, footnotes, citations, and a
bibliography.  Very proper looking.

Unfortunately, 10 minutes' inspection reveals that every diagram is
nonsensical, all the equations are gibberish, and the footnotes point to
irrelevant, pre-1930 works on Celestial Mechanics.

My conclusion is that some of the Science Crackpots are mere Cargo
Cultists, convinced that the form of the ritual of science is the
important part of it, that the format of how you explain actually makes
*what* you explain correct.  I found this revelation depressing.


PS
About "The Hiram Key": I haven't read it, but it sounds like it ought to
go on the same shelf as "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", a classic I can't praise
enough.

Once you get to it, write up a small review for us.  I'd appreciate it.

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