Pseudo‑pseudoscience

A belief or practice that is falsely accused of being pseudoscience, often by those who misunderstand its methods or are threatened by its implications. The term is also used ironically to describe a field that is accused so often that the accusation loses meaning. In some contexts, “pseudo‑pseudoscience” refers to the recursive critique of the pseudoscience label itself: calling out the accusers as engaging in “pseudo” boundary work. It’s a meta‑label that signals exhaustion with the weaponization of the term.

Example: “He dismissed her work as pseudoscience, but everyone familiar with the field knew it was pseudo‑pseudoscience—the accusation itself was the only unscientific thing in the room.”

by Dumu The Void April 5, 2026