Štefan Luby, Ivan Chodák, Martina Lubyová: INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BARRIERS Željko Pavić: SCIENCE AND PSEUDOSCIENCE IN POSTMODERN SOCIETIES IN SLOVAKIA AND OTHER NEW EU MEMBER STATES Informatol. 46, 2013., 2, 145-153 145 Informatol. 46, 2013., 2, 139-144 INFO- 2086 UDK : 061:001:007 climate, education in spirit of entrepreneurship /1/ Keklik, M. (2003), Schumpeter, Innovation and Primljeno / Received: 2012-02-17 Preliminary Communication / Prethodno priopćenje and business skills. The lessons learned from ex- Growth, Ashgate Publishing Company amining the best practices in technology transfer /2/ Baumol, W. J. (2002), The Free-Market Innovation SCIENCE AND PSEUDOSCIENCE IN POSTMODERN SOCIETIES in the innovation leading countries show that sine Machine, Princeton Univ. Press /3/ Porras, B. G., Jerzyniak, T., (coordinators), (2013), qua non conditions for achieving the innovation Innovation Union Scoreboard, European Commis- leading status include the large role of subsidies sion, Brussels ZNANOST I PSEUDOZNANOST U DRUŠTVIMA POSTMODERNE in the TT process, the large degree of institutional /4/ Straus, J. (2012), A marriage of convenience: world embeddedness of TT activities and institutions, economy and intellectual property from 1990 to Željko Pavić nd the move toward genuine 2 generation of TT 2012, American Intellectual Property Law Associa- Department of Culturology, University J. J. Strossmayer, Osijek, Croatia systems that are characterized by a densely popu- tion Vo. 40, 2012, No. 4, p.633. Odjel za kulturologiju, Sveučilište J. J. Strossmayera, Osijek, Hrvatska lated interface between the research and industry. /5/ Porras, B. G., Jerzyniak, T., (coordinators), (2013), Innovation Union Scoreboard, European Commis- Abstract Sažetak sion, Brussels Enlightenment envisaged that humanity shall emerge from Prosvjetiteljstvo je predvidjelo da će čovječanstvo izlaskom Acknowledgement /6/ Klusáček, K., Kučera, Y., Pazour, M. (2008), White „self-imposed immaturity“ and replace all forms of preju- iz „samoskrivljene nezrelosti“ sve oblike predrasuda i This work was supported by the Centre of Excellence of the book of research and innovations in Czech Republic, dice and ignorance with scientific knowledge. However, neznanja zamijeniti znanstvenom spoznajom. Međutim, Slovak Academy of Sciences CESTA (Centre for Strategic Technology Center of Academy of Sciences, Czech contemporary research show that in spite of growth of suvremena istraživanja pokazuju da se unatoč porastu Analysis). Rep., Prague 2008, ISBN 978-80-86429-99-1 (in Czech education levels, scientific literacy and scientific- obrazovanosti populacije, znanstvene pismenosti i znan- Notes language) technological achievements we could even speak about stveno-tehnološkim postignućima može govoriti o revitali- revitalization of pseudoscience. The author tries to show zaciji pseudoznanosti.. U radu se pokušava argumentirati that, besides the spread of communication technologies da se, osim širenjem komunikacijskih tehnologija i medija and media which bring about „democratization“ of koji dovode do „demokratizacije“ znanja i profitnih intere- knowledge and profit interests, this revitalization can be sa, revitalizacija može objasniti obilježjima postmodernih explained by the characteristics of postmodern societies as društva kao društava rizika i nemogućnošću znanosti da risk societies and by the inability of science to provide all- pruži sveobuhvatne svjetonazore. Tehnološka i društvena encompassing worldviews. Technological and social com- kompleksnost dovela je do pojave rizika koje je stvorio plexity causes human-created risks and new forms of un- sam čovjek i koji izazivaju nove oblike nesigurnosti među certainty, whilst the individualization causes decline of ljudima, a individualizacija dovodi do pada povjerenja u trust in people and societal institutions. By analyzing al- ljude i društvene institucije. Na temelju analize obilježja i ternative medicine, creationism, astrology and upotrebe alternativne medicine, nekih vrsta kreacionizma, pseudohistory the author tries to show that, due to its astrologije i pseudopovijesti u radu se pokušava dokazati methodical skepsis and self-limitation, science cannot da znanost zbog svoje metodičke skepse i samograničenja provide those forms of symbolic safety which pseudosci- ne može pružiti one vrste simboličke sigurnosti koje uspi- ence manages to do. jevaju pružiti ovi oblici pseudoznanosti. 1. INTRODUCTION mathematically expressed axiomatic laws could explain all earthly and heavenly motions arousing The rise of modern Western civilization is critical- scientists' admiration, but also an admiration from ly connected to the idea of humanism. In the Re- literary and humanistic circles. Notwithstanding naissance period humanism is enclosed within the the fact that ocultism and magic played their part discovery of the classical culture of antiquity and in the birth of modern science which co-opted tied to the belief in human grandeur and power of some magic and ocultism ideas /1/4, these two humanity to rationally shape it's own life in im- intellectual currents soon separated. In short, sci- manence. The Enlightment further emphasized ence and scientific methodology gained promi- the possibility of „man's release from his self- nence and official status whereas non-science incurred tutelage“ (Kant), while the series of dis- forms of knowledge continued to exist as an offi- coveries and crucial theories from the period of cial alternative, although optimism of the Scientific Revolution in 17th and 18th century Enlightment anticipated their demise. Pseudosci- codified science and scientific methodology as prominent forms of knowledge. Newton's classi- 4 E.g. Newton's theory of gravity as a force which acts at dis- tance was originally a magical idea, and was therefore rejected cal mechanics demonstrated new scientific meth- by numerous contemporary scientists as an expression of odology in a paradigmatic manner. A couple of archaic and unscientific way of thinking. ISSN 1330-0067 Coden: IORME7 ISSN 1330-0067 Coden: IORME7 Željko Pavić: SCIENCE AND PSEUDOSCIENCE IN POSTMODERN SOCIETIES Željko Pavić: SCIENCE AND PSEUDOSCIENCE IN POSTMODERN SOCIETIES 146 Informatol. 46, 2013., 2, 145-153 Informatol. 46, 2013., 2, 145-153 ence happens to be one of these alternatives, with scientific beliefs most commonly found in con- Pseudoscience, in contrast to superstition and and social influences. Randomness corresponds to pretensions on scientific validity, argumentation temporary (Western) societies. most new-age beliefs, claims to be based on scien- the tendency to create regularities where they which contains numbers, facts and theories re- tific arguments, but these arguments do not com- actually do not exist. For example, series of exper- sembling scientific ones as distinguishing charac- 2. BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PSEUDO- ply with strict scientific standards. As the most iments showed that people will create a regularity teristics when compared to other forms of „non- SCIENCE important characteristics of pseudoscience the from the series of random events. This tendency science“. Contemporary research show that in following ones can be emphasized: manifests itself especailly in pseudohistory i.e. spite of the rise of the population educational In pseudoscience we include all those conspiracy theories where historical contingencies level, scientific literacy and scientific and techno- claims/theories which pretend to be scientifically 1. Non-falsifiable and vague statements – e.g. are turned into a backstage game with rules creat- logical achievements it is justified to speak of a valid, but do not conform to the strict standards astrological forecasts, as one of the most ed by powerful and ill-intentioned indidviduals kind of revitalization of pseudoscience. Alterna- that scientific theories are expected to fulfill. Alt- common forms of pseudoscience today, are and groups. Regression to the mean is a statistical tive medicine, conspiracy theories and astrology hough in contemporary Western societies pseudo- in most cases very vague and cannot be falsi- tendency which brings extreme results in one are integral parts of everyday social life, especially science together with superstition and new age fied. measurement closer to the mean in the second media culture, whilst some sorts of pseudo- beliefs makes a separate complex of beliefs in one 2. Statements and theories which have been measurement. This well-known tendency, usually scientific creationism5 very vital in the United way or another opposed to science, this concepts repeatedly falsified using rigorous tests unrecognized by persons not familiar with scien- States could be more often observed in Europe should be distinguished from one another /2/. based on the strict methodological principles tific methodology, is a result of the random meas- and even in Croatia. This dynamism on the mar- Superstition consists of the fragments of former – e.g. many branches of alternative medicine urement errror which changes direction in se- ketplace of ideas, where science and pseudosci- religions or religious practices/rituals mostly di- in most experiments do not show significant quential measurements and can be controled with ence are sometimes mixed to the point where they rected towards practial use, magical influence on effect over and above the one which can be experimental designs. For instance, efficiency of cannot be distinguished from one another, is ac- other persons, the future