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The word '''crackpot''' refers to an eccentric person with an enthusiasm for promoting an unorthodox idea. In an early use of the term, a 1913 observer described a rally in support of the impeached Governor of New York as "a collection of the rarest political crackpots I have ever seen."<ref>"Loyal Few Hear Sulzer Farewell," ''The New York Times,'' October 19, 1913, p. 1.'' Attributed to one Patrick E. McCabe, Clerk to the Court of Impeachment. A letter entitled "Political Crackpots" appeared the next day (p. 6) credited McCabe with "adding the expressive word 'crackpot' to our recently somewhat worn political vocabulary.'" An August 6, 1924 letter (p. 12) said that the term "had made its way into respectable literature." It quotes from p. 301 of Frank Swinnerton's 1923 novel ''Young Felix'' :"'Why you old idiot!' stormed Felix. 'You don't know what an artist is. You old crackpot!'"</ref> The ''Times'' contains a 1946 example of use the context of scientific theory: a review of a book by [[T. D. Lysenko]] says that unless it is read in the context of State control of science "it will strike the informed reader as merely another effusion by a crackpot."

The word '''crackpot''' refers to an eccentric person with an enthusiasm for promoting an unorthodox idea. In an early use of the term, a 1913 observer described a rally in support of the impeached Governor of New York as "a collection of the rarest political crackpots I have ever seen."<ref>"Loyal Few Hear Sulzer Farewell," ''The New York Times,'' October 19, 1913, p. 1.'' Attributed to one Patrick E. McCabe, Clerk to the Court of Impeachment. A letter entitled "Political Crackpots" appeared the next day (p. 6) credited McCabe with "adding the expressive word 'crackpot' to our recently somewhat worn political vocabulary.'" An August 6, 1924 letter (p. 12) said that the term "had made its way into respectable literature." It quotes from p. 301 of Frank Swinnerton's 1923 novel ''Young Felix'' :"'Why you old idiot!' stormed Felix. 'You don't know what an artist is. You old crackpot!'"</ref>

The term '''crackpot''' is used perjoratively against a person, who writes or speaks in an authoritative fashion about a particular subject, often in [[science]] or [[mathematics]], but is alleged to have false or even ludicrous beliefs. Such a person may also be termed a [[crank]].

The term '''crackpot''' is used perjoratively against a person, who writes or speaks in an authoritative fashion about a particular subject, often in [[science]] or [[mathematics]], but is alleged to have false or even ludicrous beliefs. Such a person may also be termed a [[crank]]. This use seems to date from the 1940s and 1950s. The ''New York Times'' contains a 1946 example of use the context of scientific theory: a review of a book by [[T. D. Lysenko]] says that unless it is read in the context of State control of science "it will strike the informed reader as merely another effusion by a crackpot."<ref>Kaempffert, Waldemar (1946), "Man and His Milieu," The New York Times, March 3, 1946, p. BR4</ref> [[Martin Gardner]] made frequent use of the word ''crackpot'' in his influential 1957 book ''In the Name of Science,'' and list what he said were typical characteristics of the scientific crackpot.<ref>Reprint title: ''Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science.'' Dover Publications, ISBN 978-0486203942</ref>

Ideas held by such people are called ''crank ideas'' or ''crackpot theories''.

Ideas held by such people are called ''crank ideas'' or ''crackpot theories''.