Is there any place for "Aternative" in S&M?

Question

This is not Science!

This purile nonsense is best placed in R&S or mythology!

Any fellow proper scientists out there agree that this sub-category trivializes true science and should be removed from S&M?

Answer 1

S&M?

Hummmmmm.

Answer 2

Ongoing debate. The "alternative" crowd is trying to play in the realm of science. The The Parapsychological Association is an example.

You see, if you're science you can get funding and support for your silly project. But if it's non-sense...well, you get the idea.

So no. Until somebody can prove scientifically the existence of paranormal, parapsychological, extraterrestrial, or supernatural activity, they are NOT science.

Answer 3

I feel scientific methods should be applied to all fields. I agree that sadly this is often not done when it comes to the fields of religion and the paranormal. However scientific attitude also implies being curious about observations and searching for a good and useful theorem to explain the phenomenon and testing the theorem to see in what range if any the theory holds true.

Your inability to experience does not mean it does not exist. We used not to know or understand radiation or electricity and now we do. Discussing the paranormal with an insensitive person is like talking about colour to a blind man. Quite pointless until you learn to see for yourself. Your blindness however does not imply light does not exist, merely that it is not an observable factor for you and such you cannot apply your scientific principles to the phenomenon, but other people could.

Alas paranormal sensitivity and religion does carry a strong correlation to dogmatism and just not thinking let alone thinking critically.

Answer 4

I just think that it's funny, that by using the term, "alternative" in the S&M context, somehow, S&M is "mainstream."

Answer 5

But S&M is by definition alternative, as is bondage and D/s.

Answer 6

It would seem the American Association for the Advancement of Science( link below) disagrees with you. The Parapsychological Association (link below) has been an elected affiliate of the AAAS since 1969.

Of course the philospohy of science which suggest that scientific principles like Occam's Razor and the scientific method can be applied to any area of research (including religion and mythology) also disagrees with your opinion.

There are of course certain topics that the scientific method and repeatable experiments are not easily applied to like human experience which is why psychology and not physics has been more active lately in parapsychology research.

I am guessing that anyone that disagrees with you would not be considered a proper scientist by you. However, most members of the Parapsychological Association hold Ph.Ds and other advanced degrees at the doctoral level. Others who engage in parapsychological research (Like Russell Targ) have won awards for their scientific contributions to main stream science.

I do believe that science could contribute to this field by offering constructive criticisms of parapsychology research and offering suggestions to amateurs about how to improve their investigations by applying scientific methods like control sites and blinded experiments.

Ray Hyman a staunch skeptic did this by helping to write the protocols for the AutoGanzfeld experiments with a staunch believer Charles Honorton. Exploration and Investigation is the spirit of science.

Unfortunately debunkers on this site (in my opinion) lack this quality. Instead they openly discourage others from investigating, asking questions, and looking for answers to their experiences. Where I come from that is not science but more properly called religion.

So, yes if you wish to discourage scientific inquiry you (not this section) belong in the religion and mythology section.