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A theory rejecting a sharp tripartite division between Science, Parascience (disciplines with scientific aspirations that are not fully institutionalized), and Pseudoscience (claims presented as scientific but widely dismissed). Instead, it posits an n‑factorial, multi‑dimensional spectrum where fields can be placed at varying distances from a fuzzy center of “institutional science.” Some parasciences and even pseudosciences may describe reality effectively, while some claimed “sciences” may be poor descriptions. The theory accounts for historical shifts (yesterday’s pseudoscience sometimes becomes today’s science) and the political nature of demarcation.
Spectrum Theory between Science, Parascience, and Pseudoscience Example: “Her work on the spectrum theory showed that acupuncture was once dismissed as pseudoscience, but research on its mechanisms now places it on a continuum with mainstream medicine.”
by Dumu The Void April 1, 2026
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