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truedelphi

(32,324 posts)

86. Heres an analogy -

Tue Apr 22, 2014, 02:12 PM

Apr 2014

Let's say the department of measures and weights knowingly lets Big Corporations use a scale, that although marked with ounces and pounds, is mis-calibrated so that the "pounds" as measured by this corrupted scale are fifteen ounce pounds.
You may say it is corrupt, but if the system is that corrupt, then any 'scientific measurements" coming from that corrupted system is the same (to me, anyway) as "Woo."

I doubt we are going to agree. To me, and to many of my activist friends, once corruption has been institutionalized, than the system itself is woo.

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What pseudoscience is and is not. [View all] NuclearDem Apr 2014 OP

The issue that gets danced around- Materialism is NOT the de facto philosophy of science. KittyWampus Apr 2014 #1

If something can't be tested within the bounds of the natural world, NuclearDem Apr 2014 #4

I hope we can all agree that the use of the word 'woo' for this roguevalley Apr 2014 #24

Not philosophical materialism, at least. longship Apr 2014 #9

"I don't know anybody who practices science that does not practice methodological materialism." AverageJoe90 Apr 2014 #30

Well, Dawkins is definitely one I would put in the methodological materialist column. longship Apr 2014 #35

"Well, mainstream science took us to the moon," Oh, no doubt it did! AverageJoe90 Apr 2014 #50

A small quibble... cthulu2016 Apr 2014 #56

Agreed. Victor Stenger makes this very point in his "God:The Failed Hypothesis" longship Apr 2014 #68

So how does a so-called "idealist" decide which is the most effective treatment for a disease? Silent3 Apr 2014 #11

Sounds like Scintology MattBaggins Apr 2014 #85

Exactly! And to be truthful.....materialism, or at least of the ontological Dawkinsian type......... AverageJoe90 Apr 2014 #27

ontological Dawkinsian type......... AlbertCat Apr 2014 #29

It's bullshit, not woo RainDog Apr 2014 #48

Ah. You just saved me much typing. Thank you. Democracyinkind Apr 2014 #55

... RainDog Apr 2014 #59

Ok. That is. Uhm. A case in point? Democracyinkind Apr 2014 #61

oh, you have me all wrong RainDog Apr 2014 #63

You're not telling me that you don't actually have a degree in philosophy? Democracyinkind Apr 2014 #66

This message was self-deleted by its author RainDog Apr 2014 #67

I'm really impressed. Posts like yours usually come... Democracyinkind Apr 2014 #69

This message was self-deleted by its author RainDog Apr 2014 #70

If you see the word "scientism".... AlbertCat Apr 2014 #28

I always wonder why people seem to think that physicality makes things less real. dorkulon Apr 2014 #31

That is pseudoscience MattBaggins Apr 2014 #39

Sorry, All Scientists are Materialists when doing Science cthulu2016 Apr 2014 #53

DU Rec...nt SidDithers Apr 2014 #2

Great post. One more thing I'd add that isn't pseudoscience or "woo"... Silent3 Apr 2014 #3

I've been trying to remember a word for the past few days, and I just did: Iatrogenic Electric Monk Apr 2014 #5

Your point being what? Silent3 Apr 2014 #10

Wow, you make a lot of assumptions. My point was, mainstream modern medicine still has faults. nt Electric Monk Apr 2014 #12

If I walked up to you out of the blue and said, "two plus two equals four"... Silent3 Apr 2014 #13

I was basically agreeing with you, and introducing you (and others) to a new word Electric Monk Apr 2014 #15

Except science is, for the most part, self-correcting. Archae Apr 2014 #14

That people die? MattBaggins Apr 2014 #40

That there is a small percentage of people who end up worse off, not better, for having seen an MD. Electric Monk Apr 2014 #41

What does that have to do with the topic of pseudoscience? MattBaggins Apr 2014 #43

My example: Although this is not an illness per se - truedelphi Apr 2014 #18

A form of white coat phenomenon MattBaggins Apr 2014 #45

White coat phenomona is well known Sgent Apr 2014 #52

I'm not sure that really applies. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2014 #36

Also that actual hospitals take responsibility for their patients MattBaggins Apr 2014 #42

dead horse already!!!! 2pooped2pop Apr 2014 #6

Nope, not nearly dead enough yet. :) n/t Silent3 Apr 2014 #19

I say keep beating that one until it woos no more... Democracyinkind Apr 2014 #57

Very well said. K&R LadyHawkAZ Apr 2014 #7

I can't believe we still need to have conversations like this on DU... mike_c Apr 2014 #8

I'd also add that empirical practices are not woo eridani Apr 2014 #16

Thanks eridani. truedelphi Apr 2014 #21

That was just a made-up example eridani Apr 2014 #23

Here are some considerations for anyone here examining "woo" vs "non-woo" science truedelphi Apr 2014 #17

I don't think this has anything to do with pseudoscience or "woo" caraher Apr 2014 #76

It doesn't seem to me that you read my discussion, or if you read it, truedelphi Apr 2014 #79

I wrote relative to the point of the OP caraher Apr 2014 #84

Heres an analogy - truedelphi Apr 2014 #86

Research that indicates Conservatives have compassion and ethics is clearly pseudoscience nikto Apr 2014 #20

You have made my day with this post. TxDemChem Apr 2014 #22

This is excerpted from another thread: bvar22 Apr 2014 #25

we can call it the "bad boyfriend" model of science: his word is law and eternal, and he can MisterP Apr 2014 #26

And we went over this there too. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #33

I read your posts, and understand you perfectly. bvar22 Apr 2014 #34

They aren't chasing "woo." They're chasing possible treatments. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #37

Everything is "Woo".... until it isn't. bvar22 Apr 2014 #44

Just completely false MattBaggins Apr 2014 #47

No, science doesn't begin with pseudoscience. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #49

Oh good god .... etherealtruth Apr 2014 #51

You are really totally missing the point. nt Democracyinkind Apr 2014 #58

Testing botanicasl and looking for naturally occuring compounds is not woo MattBaggins Apr 2014 #46

A lot of discussion revolves around medicine. But medicine is not science; it is technology. FarCenter Apr 2014 #32

The interpretations and conclusions from the lackluster MattBaggins Apr 2014 #38

This! Democracyinkind Apr 2014 #54

Some Examples of Pseudoscience - Crop Circles, UFO Phenomena, Astrology, Agnosticsherbet Apr 2014 #60

To put it more simply.... uppityperson Apr 2014 #62

Bwahahahaha NuclearDem Apr 2014 #65

About 30 + years ago I Phlem Apr 2014 #64

Example of pseudoscience RobertEarl Apr 2014 #71

That's not an example of pseudoscience. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #72

From your OP RobertEarl Apr 2014 #73

What about the study of nuclear decay is pseudoscience? NuclearDem Apr 2014 #74

From the OP RobertEarl Apr 2014 #75

What the fuck are you talking about? NuclearDem Apr 2014 #77

See? RobertEarl Apr 2014 #78

Robert, give it a rest. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #81

Maybe wiki will educate you? RobertEarl Apr 2014 #82

This is fantastic stuff! NuclearDem Apr 2014 #83

God is woo. GeorgeGist Apr 2014 #80