Editing Pseudoscience (section)

=== Countries ===
The [[Ministry of AYUSH]] in the Government of India is purposed with developing education, research and propagation of indigenous alternative medicine systems in India. The ministry has faced significant criticism for funding systems that lack [[biological plausibility]] and are either untested or conclusively proven as ineffective. Quality of research has been poor, and drugs have been launched without any rigorous pharmacological studies and meaningful [[clinical trials on Ayurveda]] or other alternative healthcare systems.<ref name="Rathee2018">{{cite news|title=What is AYUSH and the controversy around it?|last=Rathee|first=Pranshu|work=[[Deccan Herald]]|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/what-ayush-and-controversy-703993.html|url-status=live|access-date=4 April 2021|date=20 November 2018|archive-date=22 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122144706/https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/what-ayush-and-controversy-703993.html|publisher=[[The Printers (Mysore)]]}}</ref><ref name="Narayanan2020">{{cite news|work=[[Firstpost]]|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/patanajali-covid-19-ayush-ministry-weak-response-ramdevs-coronil-stunt-endangers-people-jeopardises-ayurveda-homeopathy-8529151.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121014011/https://www.firstpost.com/india/patanajali-covid-19-ayush-ministry-weak-response-ramdevs-coronil-stunt-endangers-people-jeopardises-ayurveda-homeopathy-8529151.html|archive-date=21 November 2020|date=1 July 2020|last=Narayanan|first=Kavya|title=AYUSH Ministry is endangering people, jeopardising Ayurveda with lax response to Patanjali's Coronil and COVID-19, warn experts}}</ref> There is no credible efficacy or scientific basis of any of these forms of treatment.<ref name="AYUSHPseudo">Sources that criticize the entirety of AYUSH as a pseudo-scientific venture:
* {{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sunday-anchor/medicine-wars-homeopathy-allopathy-ayurveda-unani-in-india/article10792873.ece|title=Questions over science swirl, but AYUSH stands firm|last=Shrinivasan|first=Rukmini|date=26 April 2015|work=The Hindu|access-date=22 January 2019|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=27 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827085300/https://www.thehindu.com/sunday-anchor/medicine-wars-homeopathy-allopathy-ayurveda-unani-in-india/article10792873.ece|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/policy-and-issues/ayush-ministry-rails-against-global-study-on-homeopathy/article8561466.ece|title=AYUSH Ministry rails against global study on homeopathy|last=Krishnan|first=Vidya|work=The Hindu|access-date=24 May 2017|language=en|archive-date=28 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428082147/https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/policy-and-issues/ayush-ministry-rails-against-global-study-on-homeopathy/article8561466.ece|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite web|url=http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/National/2018-01-08/Bridge-course-for-AYUSH--the-seed-of-destruction/350752/amp|title=Bridge course for AYUSH – the seed of destruction|date=8 January 2018|website=The Hans India|language=en|access-date=17 September 2018|archive-date=17 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917215412/http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/National/2018-01-08/Bridge-course-for-AYUSH--the-seed-of-destruction/350752/amp|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://undark.org/article/indian-scientists-confront-pseudoscience/|title=The Threat of Pseudoscience in India|website=Undark|language=en-US|access-date=31 January 2019|date=10 December 2018|archive-date=7 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707131151/https://undark.org/article/indian-scientists-confront-pseudoscience/|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/india/1492838/how-scientists-are-fighting-fake-news-and-superstition-in-india/|title=Indian academia is fighting a toxic mix of nationalism and pseudoscience|last1=Kumar|first1=Ruchi|website=Quartz India|date=13 December 2018 |language=en|access-date=31 January 2019|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820170045/https://qz.com/india/1492838/how-scientists-are-fighting-fake-news-and-superstition-in-india/|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dwFKDwAAQBAJ|page=293|title=Pseudoscience: The Conspiracy Against Science|last1=Kaufman|first1=Allison B.|last2=Kaufman|first2=James C.|date=12 January 2018|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=978-0-262-03742-6|language=en|access-date=27 August 2021|archive-date=27 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827085300/https://books.google.com/books?id=dwFKDwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>

In his book ''The Demon-Haunted World'', Carl Sagan discusses the [[Government of the People's Republic of China|government of China]] and the [[Chinese Communist Party]]'s concern about Western pseudoscience developments and certain ancient Chinese practices in China. He sees pseudoscience occurring in the United States as part of a worldwide trend and suggests its causes, dangers, diagnosis and treatment may be universal.{{sfnp|Sagan|1994|pp=1–22}}

A large percentage of the United States population lacks scientific literacy, not adequately understanding scientific principles and [[methodology|method]].{{refn|group=Note|"Surveys conducted in the United States and Europe reveal that many citizens do not have a firm grasp of basic scientific facts and concepts, nor do they have an understanding of the scientific process. In addition, belief in pseudoscience (an indicator of scientific illiteracy) seems to be widespread among Americans and Europeans."<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind04/c7/c7s2.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20150628032751/https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind04/c7/c7s2.htm|archive-date=28 June 2015 |year=2004|chapter=Chapter 7 Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding: Public Knowledge About S&T|access-date=28 August 2013 |title=Science and Engineering Indicators 2004|author=National Science Board|location=Arlington, VA|publisher=National Science Foundation}}</ref>}}{{refn|group=Note|"A new national survey commissioned by the California Academy of Sciences and conducted by Harris Interactive® reveals that the U.S. public is unable to pass even a basic scientific literacy test."<ref>{{cite press release|last1=Stone|first1=Stephanie|last2=Ng|first2=Andrew |title=American adults flunk basic science: National survey shows only one-in-five adults can answer three science questions correctly|publisher=[[California Academy of Sciences]] |url=http://www.calacademy.org/newsroom/releases/2009/scientific_literacy.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018022148/http://www.calacademy.org/newsroom/releases/2009/scientific_literacy.php|archive-date=18 October 2013}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Raloff|first=Janet|date=21 February 2010|title=Science literacy: U.S. college courses really count|work=Science News |url=https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-public/science-literacy-us-college-courses-really-count |access-date=13 October 2017|publisher=Society for Science & the Public|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013224518/https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-public/science-literacy-us-college-courses-really-count|archive-date=13 October 2017}}</ref>{{refn|group=Note|"In a survey released earlier this year [2007], Miller and colleagues found that about 28 percent of American adults qualified as scientifically literate, which is an increase of about 10 percent from the late 1980s and early 1990s."<ref>{{cite web |last=Oswald|first=Tom|date=15 November 2007 |url=http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2007/msu-prof-lack-of-science-knowledge-hurting-democratic-process/ |title=MSU prof: Lack of science knowledge hurting democratic process|work=MSUToday |publisher=Michigan State University|access-date=28 August 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911201844/http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2007/msu-prof-lack-of-science-knowledge-hurting-democratic-process/|archive-date=11 September 2013}}</ref>}} In the ''Journal of College Science Teaching'', Art Hobson writes, "Pseudoscientific beliefs are surprisingly widespread in our culture even among public school science teachers and newspaper editors, and are closely related to scientific illiteracy."<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hobson|first=Art|year=2011|title=Teaching relevant science for scientific literacy |journal=Journal of College Science Teaching |url=http://physics.uark.edu/hobson/pubs/00.12.JCST.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824105754/http://physics.uark.edu/hobson/pubs/00.12.JCST.pdf|archive-date=24 August 2011}}</ref> However, a 10,000-student study in the same journal concluded there was no strong correlation between science knowledge and belief in pseudoscience.<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Impey C, Buxner S, Antonellis J, Johnson E, King C|title=A twenty-year survey of science literacy among college undergraduates|url=http://edcipr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NSTA_Survey_Science-Literacy_2011.pdf|journal=Journal of College Science Teaching|volume=40|issue=1|year=2011|pages=31–37|access-date=13 October 2017|archive-date=13 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013225058/http://edcipr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NSTA_Survey_Science-Literacy_2011.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

During 2006, the U.S. [[National Science Foundation]] (NSF) issued an executive summary of a paper on science and engineering which briefly discussed the prevalence of pseudoscience in modern times. It said, "belief in pseudoscience is widespread" and, referencing a [[Gallup Poll]],<ref>{{cite book|year=2006 |at=[https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20150628045444/http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c7/fig07-08.htm Figure 7-8 – Belief in paranormal phenomena: 1990, 2001, and 2005]|chapter=Chapter 7: Science and Technology Public Attitudes and Understanding: Public Knowledge About S&T|title=Science and Engineering Indicators 2006 |location=Arlington, VA |publisher=National Science Foundation|author=National Science Board}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/16915/three-four-americans-believe-paranormal.aspx|date=16 June 2005|title=Three in Four Americans Believe in Paranormal |author=David W. Moore|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822003849/http://www.gallup.com/poll/16915/three-four-americans-believe-paranormal.aspx|archive-date=22 August 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> stated that belief in the 10 commonly believed examples of paranormal phenomena listed in the poll were "pseudoscientific beliefs".<ref name="nsf">{{cite book|author=National Science Board|year=2006|chapter-url=https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c7/c7s2.htm|chapter=Chapter 7: Science and Technology Public Attitudes and Understanding: Public Knowledge About S&T|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20150628042314/https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c7/c7s2.htm|archive-date=28 June 2015 |title=Science and Engineering Indicators 2006|location=Arlington, VA|publisher=National Science Foundation |at=Footnote 29}}</ref> The items were "extrasensory perception (ESP), that [[Haunted house|houses can be haunted]], [[ghost]]s, [[telepathy]], [[clairvoyance]], astrology, that people can [[mediumship|mentally communicate with the dead]], [[Witchcraft|witches]], [[reincarnation]], and [[Channelling (mediumistic)|channelling]]".<ref name="nsf"/> Such beliefs in pseudoscience represent a lack of knowledge of how science works. The [[scientific community]] may attempt to communicate information about science out of concern for the public's susceptibility to unproven claims.<ref name="nsf"/> The NSF stated that pseudoscientific beliefs in the U.S. became more widespread during the 1990s, peaked about 2001, and then decreased slightly since with pseudoscientific beliefs remaining common. According to the NSF report, there is a lack of knowledge of pseudoscientific issues in society and pseudoscientific practices are commonly followed.<ref>{{cite book|author=National Science Board|year=2006|url=http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/pdf/volume1.pdf|title=Science and Engineering Indicators 2006: Volume 1|location=Arlington, VA|publisher=National Science Foundation|pages=7–3|access-date=13 August 2021|archive-date=28 June 2015|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20150628031335/http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/pdf/volume1.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Surveys indicate about a third of adult Americans consider astrology to be scientific.<ref>{{cite book|author=National Science Board|year=2006|url=https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/pdf/volume2.pdf|title=Science and Engineering Indicators 2006: Volume 2, Appendix Tables|location=Arlington, VA|publisher=National Science Foundation|chapter=Appendix table 7-16: Attitudes toward science and technology, by country/region: Most recent year|pages=A7–17|access-date=6 April 2018|archive-date=11 February 2016|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/5902/20160211065248/https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/pdf/volume2.pdf|url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=FOX News |title=Poll: More Believe In God Than Heaven|date=18 June 2004|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/more-believe-in-god-than-heaven|access-date=26 Apr 2009 |publisher=[[Fox News Channel]]|url-status=live|archive-date=5 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305093146/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,99945,00.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Humphrey|title=Harris Poll: The Religious and Other Beliefs of Americans 2003|date=26 February 2003|access-date=26 Apr 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070111214109/http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=359 |archive-date=11 January 2007 |url=http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?pid=359}}</ref>

In Russia, in the late 20th and early 21st century, significant budgetary funds were spent on programs for the experimental study of "[[Torsion field (pseudoscience)|torsion fields]]",<ref name="prezRAS2003">[http://vivovoco.astronet.ru/VV/JOURNAL/VRAN/2004/FALSCI.HTM Чем угрожает обществу лженаука? (заседание Президиума РАН) 2003] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226094625/http://vivovoco.astronet.ru/VV/JOURNAL/VRAN/2004/FALSCI.HTM |date=26 February 2021 }} // ''[[Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences]]''. № 1. 2004. P. 8–27.</ref> the extraction of energy from granite,<ref>[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=609312 Лженаука и жизнь] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206024914/http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=609312 |date=6 February 2010 }} // ''[[Kommersant]]'' № 174 (3258), 16.09.2005</ref> the study of "[[Cold fusion|cold nuclear fusion]]", and [[Astrology|astrological]] and [[Extrasensory perception|extrasensory]] "research" by the [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|Ministry of Defense]], the [[Ministry of Emergency Situations (Russia)|Ministry of Emergency Situations]], the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)|Ministry of Internal Affairs]], and the [[State Duma]]<ref name="prezRAS2003"/> (see [[:ru:Войсковая часть № 10003|Military Unit 10003]]). In 2006, Deputy Chairman of the [[Security Council of the Russian Federation]] [[:ru:Спасский, Николай Николаевич|Nikolai Spassky]] published an article in [[Rossiyskaya Gazeta]], where among the priority areas for the development of the [[Energy in Russia|Russian energy sector]], the task of extracting [[Vacuum energy|energy from a vacuum]] was in the first place.<ref name="13–14">{{cite book|last=Alexandrov |first= Ye. B. |title=Феномен лженауки в современном обществе и меры по противодействию лженаучным проявлениям |trans-title=The Phenomenon of Pseudoscience in Modern Society and Measures to Counter Pseudoscientific Manifestations |url=http://klnran.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BVZN_13-14.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516194158/http://klnran.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BVZN_13-14.pdf |archive-date=16 May 2017 |publisher=Commission of the Russian Academy of Sciences for Combating Pseudoscience and Falsification of Scientific Research, In Defence of Science |date=2014 |issue=13–14 |isbn=978-5-02-039044-7}}</ref> The [[:ru:Чистая вода (целевая программа)|Clean Water]] project was adopted as a [[United Russia]] party project; in the version submitted to the government, the program budget for 2010–2017 exceeded $14 billion.<ref>[http://www.politcom.ru/article.php?id=9764 Грызлова выводят на «чистую воду»] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606211905/http://www.politcom.ru/article.php?id=9764 |date=6 June 2014 }} // politcom.ru, 15.03.2010</ref><ref name="13–14"/>