Spectral Demarcation Theory of Science

A model that places scientific fields on a continuous spectrum from “core science” to “non‑science,” with many gradations between. Instead of binary classification, spectral demarcation uses a multi‑dimensional space (empirical support, theoretical coherence, community consensus, etc.). A field can be highly scientific in one dimension but less in another. This avoids the stigma of “pseudoscience” for emerging or interdisciplinary areas. Spectral demarcation is descriptive and nuanced, acknowledging that demarcation is a matter of more or less, not all or nothing.

Spectral Demarcation Theory of Science Example: “Spectral demarcation theory placed evolutionary psychology in the middle: strong in theoretical coherence but weaker in direct empirical confirmation, without having to call it pseudoscience.”

Spectral Demarcation Theory of Science by Dumu The Void April 28, 2026