Endeavor
Project Endeavor
Advancing the Science of Paranormal Study
through Collaborative Tools
This article attempts to explain the differences between pseudoscience and science. To move the paranormal field towards acceptance in the scientific community, investigative teams must adopt a structure to share data and progress the paranormal into the realm of social acceptance of science other than pseudoscience. The world of paranormal investigation is filled with data that takes many forms. To date, there have been very limited ways to share this information with enthusiasts without breaking client confidentiality. To promote research in the fringe sciences, National Paranormal Society has created a web-based collective. This article highlights how the Endeavor Project attempts to address the need to share information. Additionally, it provides information for interested parties to participate in the project.
Project Endeavor attempts
teams with a tool to
confidentially store, edit, and examine investigation data across all participants.
The paranormal world consists of things that are considered beyond the realm of ordinary. The subject includes the existence of anything regarded as an anomaly by modern science. Where science is believed to be a field of open-minded and interested players, the term "pseudoscience" is a derisive term coined by the scientific community to catch anything ignored by the scientific world (Bauer, 2014).
Science has become the ultimate authority on everything as widely held scientific beliefs have been adopted by the mainstream and challenges to institutional power were minimalized and discredited.
Even more charged than the term of "pseudoscience" is
the term "junk science" and
What is
Pseudoscience?
"denialism" (Bauer, 2014). The open-mindedness of the scientific world is still complemented by needed skepticism and test methods that use well-designed trials to examine hypotheses.
Pseudoscience exists to challenge what is known to be valid scientific law and presumes to have scientific grounds to challenge prevailing mainstream knowledge. Many items such as meteorites, and the biological effects of electricity and magnetism, started out as pseudoscience but became science after enough evidence was found to change belief. Similarly, the paranormal could move from pseudoscience to science if teams move towards defined processes, data gathering techniques, and data sharing practices. By collecting a substantial body of evidence, paranormal studies will be advanced and allow new technology development in the field.