Final answer:
Neil deGrasse Tyson compares parapsychology to science to emphasize the reliance of science on empirical evidence and logical reasoning. Science is depicted as a process that favors testable and reproducible research, while parapsychology often engages with the unmeasurable supernatural.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Neil deGrasse Tyson's essay 'Coming to Our Senses', parapsychology is compared to science to highlight the fundamental differences between how each approaches the understanding and explanation of the world. Tyson underlines that science is rooted in empirical evidence and logical reasoning where hypotheses are tested against observable and measurable phenomena. Conversely, parapsychology often deals with the supernatural, which eludes scientific measurement and relies on anecdotal evidence. Evidence is paramount in scientific inquiry, and when a claim is made that a natural event is caused by supernatural factors, the scientific community expects empirical data to substantiate such claims.
Science values the use of experimental research which is replicable and falls within established psychological or biological theories. These principles are necessary to ensure the credibility and reliability of scientific findings. Furthermore, Tyson argues that science is most exciting when it challenges existing theories by uncovering new data that contradicts previous assumptions, prompting the reevaluation and deepening of our understanding of natural phenomena. This rigorous method of learning is contrasted with the methods of parapsychology, which often lack the empirical rigor and reproducibility that science demands.