The Venn Diagram of Irrational Nonsense

[Orrex]

129. A couple of points.

There certainly does seem to be an over-reliance on delivery by caesarean section, though I know quite a few women for whom it was necessary. The technique itself is valid and often justified, but if prescribed without real justification, then it's likely being misused. But that's misuse of an actual medical technique, rather than claiming that a magical belief system is science. The same is true of over-prescription of drugs; it's a misuse of an actual medical substance, and it's very different from claiming that copper bracelets cure arthritis (for example).

IMO, the chart is culturally biased, while including acupuncture, shiatsu and ayurvedic medicine, never mentioning, just for example, the nonsense of prescribing antidepressants for children.

That's a very questionable comparison. Acupuncture and shiatsu claim to manipulate the flow of chi, when chi has never been shown to exist. Not once, not ever. Similarly, ayurvedic medicine depends on medieval notions of "fundamental elements" which likewise have not been shown to exist. These are belief systems that may occasionally overlap with medicine, but in so far as they rely on mystical energy, they are pseudoscience and are rightly included on the list. Let these techniques demonstrate their efficacy under controlled conditions. If they can't meet that standard, then too bad for them.

That's not a cultural bias, either. If I claimed that I can heal people with Orgone energy--an invention of western culture--I would be required to demonstrate that this mystical energy exists and works as described.