> "MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences stands at the nexus of neuroscience, biology and psychology."

There is no such nexus. The brain can be studied scientifically, the mind cannot be. This would be like creating a new cosmology department at a university that stands at the nexus of astronomy and astrology.

> Also, unfortunately, our understanding of the human mind scientifically is not yet strong enough to offer a whole lot to clinical psychologists ...

If this were true in medicine, doctors would have to stop offering treatments. But the absence of science has had no effect on psychologists, who continue to offer any treatment that comes into their heads, including complete frauds like Recovered Memory Therapy.

If doctors offered the kinds of treatments that psychologists offer, on the basis they offer them, they would be arrested. The reason? That could only happen if doctors ignored the copious science that informs the medical field.

It's not credible to say that psychology is (a) a science but (b) has nothing to offer clinicians. One, or the other. Not both. If psychology wants to be regarded as a science, let them craft testable theories that define the field, as every legitimate science has done. Such theories would place psychology on a par with real sciences, each of which is defined by central, testable, falsifiable theories -- physics has the Standard Model, Biology has genetics and evolution, geology has chemistry, physics and plate tectonics. Each of these theories is a clear statement that unites its field. Each of them is testable and falsifiable, and all of them inform practice (engineering for physics, medicine for biology as two examples).

Doctors cannot offer treatments that aren't vetted by research. The reason? Medicine is guided by science.

Psychologists can and do offer treatments that aren't vetted by research. The reason? Psychology is not guided by science.

Hos difficult is that? Want to change psychology's present status as a pseudoscience? As a first step, expel clinical psychology from the field. As a second step, forbid any treatments not vetted by scientific research. I won't hold my breath for these steps to be taken by psychologists, but they certainly, eventually will be taken by others.

> Physics has not explained why conservation of energy is true.

Conservation of energy is the explanation. This theoretical idea unites most of everyday mechanics and astrodynamics. It's disingenuous to claim that the conservation idea isn't an explanation, because of all the everyday physics that it explains -- planetary orbits, nuclear physics, and many more. Need I add that there is nothing remotely like it in psychology for depth and comprehensiveness.

The idea of scientific theories is they should explain as much as possible with the fewest ideas. This is why physics has the scientific reputation it has -- its theories explain a great deal with a handful of well-tested principles.

Meanwhile, in psychology, virtually all ideas are excuses for debates between differing factions. As an example, one group thinks focusing a lot of attention on a few activities, or one activity, is a sign of mental illness (Asperger Syndrome). Another group thinks this exact same behavior is the only way to accomplish anything beyond the norm (the "Grit" faction). And they don't bother to try to resolve the chasm between their views as scientists would do.

Asperger Syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome

A quote: "People with Asperger syndrome often display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused."

"Grit": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)

A quote: "One way in which Grit differs from the need for achievement is that individuals with high scores in Grit often set extremely long-term goals for themselves and pursue them deliberately even without positive feedback."

Different words, same idea -- the ability to focus one's attention on a few goals or one goal. Go to one psychologist, you may be encouraged to persevere. Go to another, you may be diagnosed with an Autism spectrum disorder. Both in the same "scientific" field.

The above is just one example among many. Want to turn psychology into a science? Shape theories that unite different descriptions, then test them. Just like real scientists.