This witty and engaging book examines the various fads, fallacies,strange cults, and curious panaceas which at one time or another havemasqueraded as science. Not just a collection of anecdotes but a fair,reasoned appraisal of eccentric theory, it is unique in recognizing thescientific, philosophic, and sociological-psychological implications ofthe wave of pseudoscientific theories which periodically besets theworld.To this second revised edition of a work formerly titledIn the Name of Science,Martin Gardner has added new, up-to-date material to an alreadyimpressive account of hundreds of systematized vagaries. Here you willfind discussions of hollow-earth fanatics like Symmes; Velikovsky andwandering planets; Hörbiger, Bellamy, and the theory of multiple moons;Charles Fort and the Fortean Society; dowsing and the other strangemethods for finding water, ores, and oil. Also covered are such topicsas naturopathy, iridiagnosis, zone therapy, food fads; Wilhelm Reich andorgone sex energy; L. Ron Hubbard and Dianetics; A. Korzybski andGeneral Semantics. A new examination of Bridey Murphy is included inthis edition, along with a new section on bibliographic referencematerial.Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science(1957)—originallypublished in 1952 asIn the Name of Science: An Entertaining Survey ofthe High Priests and Cultists of Science, Past and Present[—wasMartinGardner's second book. A survey of what it described as pseudosciencesand cult beliefs, it became a founding document in the nascent scientific skepticism movement. MichaelShermer said of it: "Modern skepticism has developed into a science-basedmovement, beginning with Martin Gardner's 1952 classic".The book debunkswhat it characterises as pseudo-science and the pseudo-scientists who propagateit.