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Line 1: − “A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.” - [[Mark Twain]]+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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'''Crank''' (also known as a '''crackpot''' or '''kook''') is the [[pejorative]] term for a person who hold beliefs or views that run contradictory to prevailing theories. While dictionaries may define a crank as "overly enthusiastic about a particular subject or activity<ref>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crank</ref> or "an unbalanced person who is overzealous in the advocacy of a private cause<ref>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/crank</ref>", it is generally reserved for persons who hold radical ideas well outside of the mainstream in the areas of science and technology. While the term "quack" is used solely for a person who holds such views pertaining to the field of medicine.
== Attributes of a crank ==
Famed science and mathematics writer [[Martin Gardner]] cataloged what he believed were the common signs of a crank<ref>http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=hermits-and-cranks-lesson</ref><ref>http://www.skepticblog.org/2010/07/08/martin-gardners-signs-of-a-crank/</ref>. First Gardner notes "...most important of these traits is that cranks work in almost total isolation from their colleagues" and that "a second characteristic of the [crank], which greatly strengthens his isolation, is a tendency toward paranoia." In addition Gardner highlighted some of the following characteristics:
*Overestimation of one's own intelligence, knowledge, or proficiency.
*Underestimation of the intelligence of critics and peers
*Belief there is a conspiracy to either suppress their ideas or artificially bolster the prevailing idea.
*A tendency to attack the most well-established scientists and scientific theories.
Mathematician [[John Baez]] developed a list of attributes known as the ''Crackpot Index'' which he bills as "A simple method for rating potentially revolutionary contributions to physics.<ref>http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/crackpot.html</ref>" The index contains a list of statements for the reader to consider, and assigns a point value to each item the reader agrees with. The more points accumulated, the more of a "crackpot" the reader is in the author's eyes. Some of the items include:
*"...claim that special or general relativity are fundamentally misguided (without good evidence)."
*"...arguing that a current well-established theory is "only a theory", as if this were somehow a point against it."
*"...offering prize money to anyone who proves and/or finds any flaws in your theory."
*"...claiming you have a revolutionary theory but giving no concrete testable predictions."
== Crank style ==
Cranks often employ similar tactics during debate. These tactics may consist of, but are by no means limited to:
*Routinely ignores the finer points that are prerequisite to understanding the mainstream theory.
*Failure to use standard methods of notation or terminology.
*Attempt to redefine established terminology.
*Ignore all evidence that is presented that contradicts their own hypothesis.
== Quotations ==
“A crank is someone with a new idea -- until it catches on.” - [[Mark Twain]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
== References ==
<references/>