The 6 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

A comprehensive model adding dimensions of explanation and tradition. Axis 1: Testable-Untestable. Axis 2: Compatible-Incompatible. Axis 3: Experiential-Experimental. Axis 4: Subjective-Objective. Axis 5: Explained-Mysterious (could be explained by known mechanisms vs. genuinely mysterious). Axis 6: Traditional-Novel (ancient wisdom vs. recent claims). These six axes generate sixty-four parascience positions. Homeopathy is testable, incompatible (with pharmacology), experimental, objective (would work for anyone if real), explained (dilution can't work), novel (historically, not ancient). Meditation experiences are untestable, compatible, experiential, subjective, explained (neuroscience explains some), traditional. The 6 Axes reveal that parascience is a multidimensional space where ancient traditions and modern claims occupy very different coordinates.

The 6 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "You think all parascience is equally valid or invalid. The 6 Axes show otherwise: meditation has tradition, compatibility, explanation on its side—it's on the compatible end. Homeopathy has none of that—it's testable and fails, incompatible with known science, explained in the 'doesn't work' sense. Same parascience label, completely different positions."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of practitioner community and relationship to science. Axis 1: Testable-Untestable. Axis 2: Compatible-Incompatible. Axis 3: Experiential-Experimental. Axis 4: Subjective-Objective. Axis 5: Explained-Mysterious. Axis 6: Traditional-Novel. Axis 7: Insiders-Outsiders (studied by believers vs. studied by skeptics). Axis 8: Integrative-Separatist (seeks integration with science vs. rejects scientific worldview). These eight axes create 256 parascience positions. Psychedelic research was outsider, integrative, testable, potentially compatible—and is becoming mainstream. UFOlogy is often insider (believers doing research), separatist (distrust of official science), testable in principle, incompatible (if aliens are here), mysterious, novel. The 8 Axes demonstrate that parascience isn't just about claims—it's about communities and their relationship to the scientific establishment.

The 8 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "UFO research and psychedelic research are both parascience, right? The 8 Axes show the difference: psychedelic research is integrative (wants to work with science), outsider (now insider), testable, compatible. UFOlogy is separatist (distrusts science), insider (believers only), testable but failing, incompatible (if real, it's revolutionary). Same label, completely different trajectories."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of cultural context and cognitive style. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Universal-Cultural (claims hold across cultures vs. culturally specific). Axis 10: Empirical-Interpretive (relies on data vs. relies on meaning-making). Axis 11: Literal-Metaphorical (claims are factually true vs. true as metaphor). Axis 12: Practical-Contemplative (aims at intervention vs. aims at understanding). These twelve axes generate 4096 parascience positions. Reiki is testable (and fails tests), incompatible, experiential, subjective, mysterious (to believers), traditional, insider, separatist (often), cultural (Japanese origin), interpretive (energy work as meaning), metaphorical (practitioners may not mean literal), practical (aims to heal). Astrology is testable (fails), incompatible, experimental in principle, objective (would work for anyone), explained (no mechanism), ancient, insider, separatist, cross-cultural, interpretive, literal to believers, practical (guides decisions). The 12 Axes reveal the rich texture of parascience—different phenomena, different purposes, different relationships to evidence and meaning.

The 12 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "You want to dismiss all parascience with one argument. The 12 Axes show why that fails: Reiki functions as metaphorical, interpretive, practical healing—testing it literally misses the point. Astrology claims to be literal, objective, testable—and fails those tests. Same parascience label, completely different relationships to truth. One size fits none."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 16 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

The ultimate model, adding the final dimensions of social function and existential significance. Building on the 12 Axes, we add: Axis 13: Explanatory-Comforting (aims to explain phenomena vs. aims to provide comfort/meaning). Axis 14: Transformative-Confirmatory (challenges worldview vs. reinforces existing beliefs). Axis 15: Communal-Private (shared practice vs. individual exploration). Axis 16: Dangerous-Harmless (potential for harm vs. benign). These sixteen axes generate 65,536 potential positions—enough to capture every parascientific phenomenon, every spiritual tradition, every fringe inquiry. The 16 Axes reveal that parascience isn't a single thing to be accepted or rejected—it's a vast landscape of human inquiry operating alongside science, serving different needs, making different claims, offering different gifts and dangers. Some parascience is testable and failing—that's pseudoscience. Some is untestable by nature—that's spirituality. Some is testable and promising—that's emerging science. Some is metaphorical and meaningful—that's poetry dressed as fact. Some is dangerous—cults, anti-science movements. Some is harmless—personal spiritual practice. The 16 Axes don't tell you what to believe—they give you language to ask better questions. What kind of parascience is this? What are its axes? What does it claim, what does it offer, what does it risk? The answers aren't one-dimensional—and neither is the inquiry.

The 16 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "You want to know if parascience is valid. The 16 Axes ask: which parascience? What are its coordinates? Testable? Compatible? Experiential? Subjective? Explained? Traditional? Insider? Integrative? Universal? Empirical? Literal? Practical? Explanatory or comforting? Transformative or confirmatory? Communal or private? Dangerous or harmless? Sixteen questions, sixteen answers, and only then can you even ask about validity. And the answer won't be one word—it'll be sixteen coordinates in a vast space of human knowing. That's not relativism—that's just respecting the complexity of how we seek meaning, truth, and healing beyond the lab."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026