Pseudoscience: A Very Short Introduction

In his new book, Gordin explores the complex issue of defining what makes a topic fall under the umbrella of pseudoscience. His goal is to arrive at a simple definition that clearly differentiates pseudoscience from genuine science. Pseudoscience (Oxford University Press) looks at a number of controversial fields including scientific racism and alchemy to understand a series of questions including why these ideas have been classified as pseudoscience and who has the authority to do so. Gordin answers these questions and offers a historical view of the struggle to identify fringe scientific views. 

Paw in print

Image
The October 2025 cover of PAW, featuring an illustration of a woman dressed like Superman, but the S on her chest is a dollar sign.
The Latest Issue

October 2025

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ’92; President Eisgruber ’83 defends higher ed; Julia Ioffe ’05 explains Russia.