Carey ch. 6

fallacy, creating the impression that something is anomalous by distorting or omitting facts that suggest a non-anomalous explanation or by over-reliance on anecdotal evidence

ex: crop circles, omission of location near tractor lines
bermuda triangle, omission of found wreckage

combining evidence from multiple sources

fallacy, arguing against rival explanations rather than providing evidence for a given explanation

inferring a causal link on the basis of a correlation, concomitant variation, or the fact that the suspected cause occurred before it's effect. Possible rival explanations are: coincidence, fudging of data, and third factors

ex: correlation between Leo sign and being a lawyer. just a coincidence

defending a novel, untested explanation by implying that it is similar to another, well supported explanation

ex: luminiferous ether, light is similar to sound, sound has a medium, therefore light must have a medium

advancing an explanationatory claim that is consistent with everything that could happen or offering a prediction that cannot be falsified
ex: special creationists, God's method of creation is no longer visible , therefore not testable

treating the observations that have occasioned an explanation as evidence confirming the explanation
ex: conspiracy theorists do this

advancing untestable excuses as a means of saving an otherwise discredited explanation or extraordinary claim

ex: existence of Neptune seemed like an ad hoc rescue of the theory of gravity

false science, involve fallacious scientific reasoning using fallacies

can occur within legit science disciplines

not self correcting

produces little explanatory theory

rarely change over time

skeptics seen as narrow-minded

basing belief or explanation on a single instance of the phenomena

no way to disprove hypothesis, conditions of original observation to exact or rare