TheNightling
@TheNightling
0
Earlier today I attempted a bit of an online deep dive in the subject of Esoteric Sciences. I have been trying to find a befitting category for subjects like Parapsychology, Cryptozoology, and Paracryptozoology other than pseudoscience. Pseudoscience feels so condescending and dismissive to me, especially since both Parapsychology and Cryptozoology attempt to use scientific methodology when treated with sincere consideration.
I thought that perhaps Esoteric Sciences might fit but I came to worry that that term was too heavily enveloped in mysticism. But as I thought on this it occurred to me, what IS the difference between Occult Sciences and Esoteric Sciences?
So I asked Google and the Google AI Overview answered. As I suspected I got an answer along the lines of that though there is an overlap, Occult Science suggest mysticism and spiritual but Esoteric entails hidden and so they are not precisely the same thing. Well, I figured that made sense.
But then I asked for examples of Esoteric Sciences. And I got Alchemy, Astrology, Hermeticism, scrying and divination, and Kabbalah,,. Then I asked what entails Occult Sciences. I got the same exact list. In fact the heading said “Occult Science entails Esoteric Sciences.”
My take away from this? Don’t trust Google AI Overview.
I thought that perhaps Esoteric Sciences might fit but I came to worry that that term was too heavily enveloped in mysticism. But as I thought on this it occurred to me, what IS the difference between Occult Sciences and Esoteric Sciences?
So I asked Google and the Google AI Overview answered. As I suspected I got an answer along the lines of that though there is an overlap, Occult Science suggest mysticism and spiritual but Esoteric entails hidden and so they are not precisely the same thing. Well, I figured that made sense.
But then I asked for examples of Esoteric Sciences. And I got Alchemy, Astrology, Hermeticism, scrying and divination, and Kabbalah,,. Then I asked what entails Occult Sciences. I got the same exact list. In fact the heading said “Occult Science entails Esoteric Sciences.”
My take away from this? Don’t trust Google AI Overview.
