The application of Critical Theory to parascience—fields and phenomena that exist alongside conventional science, often dismissed or marginalized—examining how the boundary between science and parascience is drawn and what interests it serves. Critical Theory of Parascience asks: Why are some phenomena considered parascientific rather than scientific? Who decides? How might parascience include legitimate knowledge that doesn't fit current paradigms? It doesn't defend every parascientific claim but insists that the boundary is political, not natural. Understanding parascience requires understanding the politics of scientific boundaries.
"They dismiss meditation research as parascience. Critical Theory of Parascience asks: parascience by whose standards? What if the phenomena are real but don't fit current methods? The boundary between science and parascience shifts over time—what's parascience today may be science tomorrow. Critical theory insists on asking who draws the line, and whether it serves understanding or exclusion."
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 4, 2026
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