The test of whether a proposed explanation is scientific or not is….a test. In the jargon of the scientific method, a proposed explanation must be falsifiable, that is, amenable to being supported or rejected through repeated experiments and retain its explanatory power in the face of new observations or interpretations.
Falsifiability is another way of asking whether an explanation is subject to change. Has the explanation changed with advances in understanding? Science is self-correcting through ongoing testing and re-evaluation.
Secondly, consider the source. Is the explanation from a reliable source? Science is what reputable scientists do. Just as we would not consult an electrician for a toothache, we would not consult religious texts for scientific explanations.
And third, consider, Does the explanation tie together previously seemingly unrelated observations? The best theories do this--Big Bang theory in astronomy, Plate tectonic theory in geology, and Evolutionary theory in biology.
Cartoon is from http://stepsandleaps.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/the-scientific-method.jpg
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