Debunking Pseudoscience: A Study of Credibility

Pseudoscience is a set of claims that seems scientific, but isn’t. In particular, pseudoscience lacks the safeguards against confirmation bias and belief perseverance that characterize science. Any 100 level psychology student should be able to tell you that, but so many times we forget its application (Lilienfeld). We hear Billy Mays rave about the wonders of Oxy-clean, or see that Shakira lost 60 lbs in one week from the miracle drug and all sense is lost. Perhaps the same can be said for hearing a tall tale in a book, spun by the main character. Merriam Webster’s definition of credibility is as follows: the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real, or honest. Throughout this paper I would like you to keep that definition in

Mattie Ross is hyper-specific on the details of this story. She can recall the clothes everyone was wearing, the exact locations, and names of every person, place, or thing she met on the way. Doesn’t this strike you as odd? If you are anything like me you probably can’t even remember what you had for breakfast this morning. In fact it is basic science that anecdotal evidence, such as the story followed in True Grit, is basing claims on the dramatic reports of one or two individuals. As impressive as the claims may be you can’t put much stock into them. Firsthand “evidence” may actually be based on subjective impression. In general anecdotes are often difficult to verify and do nothing to tell how representative the cases are (Lilienfeld). I believe upon learning this there are some important questions to ask. Why did it take so long for Mattie to re-tell this story? We learn that she didn’t even try to find Rooster for twenty-five years, “I wonder if the Marshall would remember me: A quarter of a century is a long time!” (Portis 221) Why is that? In addition to this we also find that she is never brought back into contact with LaBoeuf. Pretty much everyone else involved died during the action. Isn’t it convenient that Mattie is finally telling her “True account of how she avenged Frank Ross’s blood” (Portis 224) when there is nobody left to dispute the