Homeopathy vs James Randi

[Mawk]

hi group,

below is the link to a very interesting transcript from last thursdays
catalyst program on the abc (australia). catalyst is a science program that
looks at cutting edge research specifically in australia but also around the
world. this story dealing with the "memory of water", the essence of
homeopathy, has far reaching consequences for main stream science. of course
for many on this list it is just further verification for what we already
know.

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s805448.htm

cheers,

mawk

[Mawk]

hi paul,

you have provided some very astute observations, in my humble opinion, that
i completely concur with. i look forward to seeing the transcript of part
two of the program. this should be available next friday.

my guess is that the second part will show that there is something too
homeopathy, but not to a degree of certainty that randi will have to cough
up the cash. this of course will highlight the fact that the scientific
process can never provide "certainty", only a hypothesis that best explains
the facts. actually in this case it is the facts that are in question which
takes the scientific process to its foundations. the interest for me will be
how this bias will be presented.

cheers,

mawk

[Paul Kandrah]

> this story dealing with the "memory of water", the essence of
> homeopathy, has far reaching consequences for main stream science.
>
> http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s805448.htm

> mawk

"james randi: scientists don't always think rationally and in a
direct fashion. they're human beings like anyone else. they can fool
themselves."

or they can be fooled... is what i think he means to say.

interesting transcript. basically they allowed a magician into the
lab whose entire career is based on debunking, where the success of
his adversary would mean a loss of a million dollars and also his
rather large following. he is certainly not an impartial observer.

in the second trial randi and maddox go into a sealed room, where
they do odd things like taping the code to the ceiling. there is
apparently lots of opportunity for randi to do some slight of hand
magic with maddox. he already has done some magic out in the open
while they were experimenting, which would generally cause mystified
perceptions so that randi could do just about anything. (general
magicians tactics)

i've run into the followers of this fellow before. they are not
just passive skeptics. they use lots of subversion tactics to
manipulate perception. they say they are rational, but they often
use flawed logic. they are human beings... behind a specially
constructed wall of the mind of course.

why don't people see through this? ... they want to believe. they
have their champions (randi, bush) using any and all tactics to keep
the status quo happy.

it is a shame that so many people will turn on their own community
(scientists) and instead put their faith in the traveling snake
charmer that comes into town.

paul