Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site gargoyle.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!ihnp4!gargoyle!carnes From: carnes@gargoyle.UUCP (Richard Carnes) Newsgroups: net.origins Subject: Re: Crank Science (the Velikovsky controversy) Message-ID: <147@gargoyle.UUCP> Date: Tue, 13-Aug-85 15:33:56 EDT Article-I.D.: gargoyle.147 Posted: Tue Aug 13 15:33:56 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 18-Aug-85 21:10:48 EDT References: <509@utastro.UUCP> Reply-To: carnes@gargoyle.UUCP (Richard Carnes) Distribution: net Organization: U. of Chicago, Computer Science Dept. Lines: 20 [This program posts news from many hundreds of machines throughout the world. Are you absolutely sure that you want to read this?] Both Bill Jeffreys and Ted Holden are probably aware of this book, but I would just like to mention *Beyond Velikovsky: The History of a Public Controversy* by Henry Bauer. This is a historical and sociological study, somewhat similar to Nelkin's study of the creationism controversy. Bauer concludes that Velikovsky was a crank (a term he defines), but blames scientists for mishandling the controversy. I can't pass judgment on the book's scholarship, but it looks very interesting. Bauer discusses Velikovsky's book *Cosmos Without Gravity* (1946) to show how amazingly incompetent V. was in matters of basic physics. I'd like to thank Bill Jeffreys for his well-written debunkings of pseudoscience -- must be something good in the water in my favorite town of Austin. Also let me thank Pat Wyant for his fine article on cultural differences. Richard Carnes, ihnp4!gargoyle!carnes