books
superstition superstition belief in the age of science belief in the age of science
p from uttering a prayer before boarding a plane to exploring past lives through hypnosis has superstition become pervasive in contemporary culture robert park the best selling author of voodoo science argues that it has . in superstition park asks why people persist in superstitious convictions long after science has shown them to be ill founded . he takes on supernatural beliefs from religion and the afterlife to new age spiritualism and faith based medical claims . he examines recent controversies and concludes that science is the only way we have of understanding the world . p park sides with the forces of reason in a world of continuing and he fears increasing superstition . chapter by chapter he explains how people too easily mistake pseudoscience for science . he discusses parapsychology homeopathy and acupuncture ; he questions the existence of souls the foundations of intelligent design and the power of prayer ; he asks for evidence of reincarnation and astral projections ; and he challenges the idea of heaven . throughout he demonstrates how peoples blind faith and their confidence in suspect phenomena and remedies are manipulated for political ends . park shows that science prevails when people stop fooling themselves . p compelling and precise superstition takes no hostages in its quest to provoke . in shedding light on some very sensitive and park would say scientifically dubious issues the book is sure to spark discussion and controversy .
hardcover princeton university press 2008 isbn13 9780691133553 isbn10 0691133557
abridged n isbn 13 9780691133553 number in series 1 number of pages 240 publisher princeton university press release date 62135769600000