A science journalism critique of the law of attraction and the book and film The Secret, examining their claimed basis in quantum physics.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier2
Benjamin Radford and Mary Carmichael's "Secrets and Lies," published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry in Skeptical Inquirer, the middle tier reflecting a science journalism critique rather than a peer reviewed academic study, examining the law of attraction and The Secret's claimed basis in quantum physics from a skeptical vantage point. It is useful for the specific scientific claims it checks and rebuts, less useful as a neutral description of the movement's own beliefs, which a source from within the movement or a religious studies account serves better. NotesA signed science journalism critique published by Skeptical Inquirer, the magazine of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, a well established organization for scientific scrutiny of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Reliable for documenting physicists' and psychologists' rejection of the law of attraction's claimed quantum mechanism. Not a peer-reviewed academic source; cited here as science journalism commentary on the popular reception of the claim rather than as primary research.
Citation
AuthorBenjamin Radford and Mary Carmichael
PublisherSkeptical Inquirer, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
Publication Year2007
URLhttps://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/secrets-and-lies/
Source Typejournalism
Claims Backed By This Source (13 claims)
This source backs 13 claims across the atlas. As facts: 11 well-attested. As cited relationships: 1 connected. Plus 1 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
- Articles, 5 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 connected, 1 general references.
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