Yeah calling something pseudo scientific seems common when scientists try to explore the immaterial realm. Only the material is real to science. I'm not sure what is believed about consciousness but the general idea seems to be that it can be explained materially. Just we haven't found the answer in the material realm but thats where it is for sure. Sounds like dogma to me. For me that doest work when we have people like Patient R --- a man who lost all parts of brain associated with selfawareness by science but was still self aware and functional except for strong memory issues.
Anyway, people should be free to believe what they want. Even materialist scientists.
There is a method of science; and it goes like this:
- Ask a question.
- Perform the research.
- Devise and conduct the experiment,
- Record your results.
- Submit your work to peers for review of possible mistakes.
Furthermore, before something in science can be called a "theory", it must meet certain criteria:
- It must be testable, measurable and observable.
- It must be repeatable.
- It must be falsifiable.
- It must provide predictable outcomes; a predictive model of reality.
Whatever does not follow the method of investigation is pseudoscience.
Whatever does not meet the criteria for "Theory" is pseudoscience.
Whatever is based on misunderstanding or falsifications of scientific understanding is pseudoscience.
Thus:
- Brontosaurus and Piltdown Man were pseudoscience; as they were not submitted to peer review.
- 911 truthers use pseudoscience; postulating ideas based on misunderstandings or complete falsifications of scientific principles; and failure to perform adequate research on their claims.
- Creationism is pseudoscience for a lot of reasons; one reason being that creationism is not testable, measurable, observable, repeatable, falsifiable and does not provide a predictive model of reality.
- Bigfoot hunters and paranormal investigators are fields of pseudoscience as they assume the outcome then find the evidence to support their claims; which is not "asking a question" but instead is "assuming the answer".
Another point to be made is the strict, specific definitions required for the scientific method. Part of that process of defining a given anomaly is the ability to define its characteristics and properties. Many things lack a scientific definition: including Consciousness, Soul, Spirit, and God. Until these ideas can be defined in scientific terms with established characteristics and properties, they lie outside the realm of science. And perhaps, they always will. So, to attempt to use science to either prove or disprove such ideas, we are attempting to prove or disprove something that is outside the scientific method and working with nonspecific definitions; thus, pseudoscience.
Hopefully, this will help clear up what is and what is not pseudoscience.