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A debunker is an individual who discredits and exposes claims as being false, exaggerated, unscientific or pretentious. [1] Topics that many debunkers focus on include U.F.O.s, claimed paranormal phenomena, conspiracy theories, alternative medicine, religion, research outside mainstream science or pseudoscientific subjects. Paranormal is an Umbrella term used to describe unusual Phenomena or experiences that lack an obvious Scientific explanation A conspiracy theory attributes the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually Political, Social or Historical events or the concealment The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional Medicine. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Research is defined as Human activity based on Intellectual application in the investigation of Matter. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the The term debunker is applied when a person functions as an activist and performs research, writes articles, gives speeches, conducts seminars, or engages in other activities with the specific intent of discounting the validity of a dubious, bizarre, or abnormal claim. Activism, in a general sense can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change An essay is usually a short piece of writing It is often written from an author's personal point of view.

As a slang term, debunking is the act of disproving a proposal or theory, generally in an academic or scientific sense. Slang is the use of highly informal Words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's Dialect or Language. The word theory has many distinct meanings in different fields of Knowledge, depending on their methodologies and the context of discussion.

Contents

Etymology

The term debunk originated in 1923, when American novelist William Woodward (1874-1950) used it to mean to "take the bunk out of things. A neologism (from Greek neo = "new" + logos = "word" is a word that although devised relatively recently in a specific time period has been Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story William Woodward may refer to William Culham Woodward (1885-1941 Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. " Often the term "debunkery" is not limited to arguments about scientific validity. It can also be used in a more general sense at attempts to discredit any opposing point of view, such as that of a political opponent. "Debunkify", a variant of debunk, has also recently been introduced into the lexicon. The word is a marketing/advertising term coined by the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation, and is associated with debunking the myths associated with tobacco use. [2]

Criticism

Debunkers' critiques of such things as religion and pseudoscience may offend believers. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge methodology belief or practice that is claimed to be Scientific or made to appear scientific but does not adhere to the Some, such as Marcello Truzzi (who self-identified as a skeptic), maintain that some skeptics go too far and assert negative claims, and thus are not true skeptics but "pseudoskeptics". Marcello Truzzi ( September 6, 1935 — February 2, 2003) was a Professor of Sociology at Eastern Michigan University According to Truzzi,[3] genuine skeptics are neutral or agnostic, often critical of extraordinary claims, but do not make negative claims by denying them. Agnosticism ( Greek: α- a-, without + γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge after Gnosticism) is the philosophical view that the Instead they "demand extraordinary proof"[4] before they will accept extraordinary claims as proven.

Well-known debunkers

See also

Organizations

Notes

  1. ^ Debunker. Dictionary. com Unabridged. Retrieved on 2007-09-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a "to expose or excoriate (a claim, assertion, sentiment, etc. ) as being pretentious, false, or exaggerated: to debunk advertising slogans. "
  2. ^ Debunkify. Ohio tobacco prevention foundation. Retrieved on 2007-09-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a
  3. ^ "On Pseudo-Skepticism: A Commentary by Marcello Truzzi" from Zetetic Scholar, #12-13, 1987
  4. ^ Marcello Truzzi: "And when such claims are extraordinary, that is, revolutionary in their implications for established scientific generalizations already accumulated and verified, we must demand extraordinary proof. " Editorial in The Zetetic (Vol. 1, No. 1, Fall/Winter 1976, p 4). This statement is often abbreviated to "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. "
  5. ^ Express, Daily. "'Fake' Claim Over Monroe Show", express. co. uk, 2007,October,9. Retrieved on 2008-03-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty  
  6. ^ McTaggart, Suzanne. "Marilyn Monroe dresses labelled 'fake'", [1], Yorkshire Evening Post, 2008, March, 18. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor  
  7. ^ Shermer, Michael (2006)"eSkeptic magazine - Debunking a Marilyn Monroe Exhibit", 27 April 2006. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Accessed online 10 March 2008
  8. ^ Jia, Hepeng (2006-02-03). Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states Out to debunk: China's 'science police' (txt). Retrieved on 2007-09-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a

References

External links

Dictionary

debunker

-noun

  1. Someone who debunks.
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