Problem:
In response to your peers, discuss your own experience with their topic or theory. Discuss how your assessment of the matter differs from or aligns with your peer's. Your response posts should be informative and delivered in a respectful manner. Need Assignment Help?
The questionable theory I am writing about is the demonological theory. "Demonological theory would tell you he is a man possessed. This medieval definition painted him as a sinner taken over by demons that work to manifest in him the evil root of humanity." (Rahimzadeh, 2015). Demonology is one of the earliest noted theories in criminology. It suggests that crime was caused by evil spirits or demonic possession rather than human choice or social conditions.
This theory is not scientific because it is based on supernatural explanations, not scientific evidence or facts. That means the "evidence" cannot be test or measured in any way, and cannot be proven true or false. Scientific theories must be testable through experimentations and supported by observable evidence. The idea that crime is caused by demons or evil spirits cannot be empirically verified or disproven.
The most credible source I could find for this was Encyclopedia Brittanica.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Criminology." Encyclopaedia Britannica.
This source is credible because Encyclopaedia Britannica is an expert-reviewed publication written and edited by scholars with a very long history in publication.
If a person has strong religious or holds cultural beliefs about spirits, demons or other supernatural forces, they might be more likely to believe or support this theory without really questioning the evidence. On the other hand, someone who strongly believes in science might reject these types ideas, without trying to understand the time period or culture they came from. We learned a lot about different types of biases, and a religious bias (or lack thereof) could absolutely affect whether or not someone believes in this theory.
One major critical thinking skill I learned about in this course is checking for credibility. I think this is something that has become increasingly more challenging to do, as more and more people and "sources" present themselves as credible, when in all actuality, if you look for the scientific research behind their claims and "research", it is filled with falsities and lacks substantial evidence. Sometimes, there is more evidence that goes against their claims, than there is to support their claim. That is why it is so important to really check for things like biases when you learn about something new from a source you are unfamiliar with. I can apply this to my everyday life, as someone who uses social media.