Scientology, an Approach to Therapy Developed by a Science Fiction

question 42

Multiple Choice

Scientology, an approach to therapy developed by a science fiction writer, claims that mental problems originated from extraterrestrial spirits left by Xenu, a galactic tyrant. This makes the approach seem pseudoscientific because this account:

• A) makes predictions that are vague.
• B) is implausible given what we know from psychology and astronomy.
• C) reverses the burden of proof and argues from possibility.
• D) incorrectly uses general rules of reasoning.

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Definitions:

Sampling Distribution

The likelihood distribution of a statistic, achieved by drawing numerous samples from a certain population.

Spread

In statistics, it refers to the range of a data set, which shows the extent to which numerical values differ from each other.

Center

In statistics, the central point of a data set, around which a whole dataset is distributed, usually measured as mean or median.

Incentive

Something that motivates or encourages someone to do something or to work harder.