Monday, August 31, 2015
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Huge Anecdotal Evidence is Empirical Science!
I am writing this blog because I am fed up with the rejection of huge anecdotal evidence of whatever subject matter by orthodox, skeptical, secular scientists. They do not accept any hypothesis or concept until tested in a sanitized academic lab environment. They claim it is the only way to eliminate all confounding variables and truly test any hypothesis and its merit. Yet many supposedly valid studies have surprisingly small sample sizes and are often accepted in government trials after failing the first and second times! Many are accepted as fact in prestigious journals with no replication! Another valid concern is who sponsors the studies and what is the motivation? These are important things to consider when you read or hear about the results of some groundbreaking new toxic medicine created and synthesized artificially in an unnaturally sterile lab.
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/07/07/pfizer-vice-president-blows-the-whistle-tells-the-truth-about-the-pharmaceutical-industry/
However, anyone who has studied science and the scientific method knows that it is impossible to eliminate all confounding variables in even the best and most clever of experiments. We do not live in a vacuum and the interconnected universe and environment in which we do live is super complex and way beyond our current comprehension.
Granted, the developed lab experiment method has worked wonders and deserves great respect for its many accomplishments. But there is an arrogance that has crept into the academic scientific establishment. An absolutism that rejects any anecdotal evidence - even if it numbers in the millions of cases! This unhealthy, extreme skepticism applies to many of as of yet untested (in the Western sense) Eastern Chinese Medicines, with proven herbal treatments for minor chronic ailments. Western doctors are just getting on the Eastern bandwagon after recent Western style lab studies have proven the benefits of these ancient herbal remedies.
Additionally, Meditation and the mind-body connection was stubbornly rejected by main stream Western Medical Academia for decades and again - only in the last 10-15 years is finally accepting it as a cure for mild mental disorders as well as other cardiovascular heart health related issues. Something that gurus in India already knew thousands of years ago - based on generations of 'anecdotal' experience/proofs.
These anecdotal proofs of health concepts/remedy phenomena that make a positive outcome most likely to occur number in the millions of human cases over many millennia. Remedies mentioned before such as Chinese herbal remedies, Meditation for health, and Native American and Amazonian herbal knowledge for different types of ailments. Even non-toxic solutions like baking soda and vinegar for fending off sickness, indigestion, as well as cleaning pots and pans! These are just a few big time anecdotal scenarios and there are plenty of other valid folk remedies - all from nature - all over the world.
Other phenomena that also have huge anecdotal numbers in the millions are Near Death Experiences (NRD), where people report a very similar experience of a colorful tunnel/bridge vision with some type of religious or family figure telling them to go back because it is not their time to die yet - type of scenario. Another highly controversial subject matter is UFO/Alien encounters. Millions have been reported all over the world since actual records have been kept - last 70 years basically. People reporting UFO sightings are not just your weird neighbors. They are your doctors, judges, Air Force and other respected military personnel and healthy upright citizenry - all over the world!
When does anecdotal evidence ring true? I think once it passes several thousand reported and substantiated cases - it becomes pretty solid empirical evidence. This is way more than the typical sample size in most cited lab type studies, which usually only number from 50-150 participants - or less!
Let me use a more recent phenomenon to illustrate my point. The use of toxic-free Diatomaceous Earth for multiple uses including as a pesticide, and for food poisoning/bad bacteria/unhealthy gut micro-biome in farm animals and humans alike. Diatoms are micro-sized, silica based, shelled algae creatures that died and dried up in the sun over millions of years and have been used for the previously mentioned scenarios for generations now.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth
Diatoms are micro-sized, yet sharp and can cut into small bugs under guts rendering them dead. It can do the same to bad bacteria in the gut/intestines, and has been used by many farmers around their crops as pesticides, and fed to their sick animals as a cure for bad gut bacterial infections - for generations! More recently they have been used as an alternative to highly toxic pesticides in the elimination/battle against evil bed bugs in cities around the world.
Yet the orthodox academic realm has not accepted these anecdotal stories that now number in the many thousands, if one does just a little bit of research on the internet. The reason science has not investigated this phenomena is because there is no long term profit/monetary $ gain, which as any educated, honest and aware person of how the world of science works, will admit is the main driving force of most scientific studies. War, profits, and gaining of resources have been the fundamental drivers/funding of science historically.
In conclusion, one must consider how untrustworthy profit-based science and all multi-national corporations have proved to be in recent times and therefore be skeptical of the corporate puppet skeptics and trolls who make their living spreading false information on many subjects. Subjects/phenomena that have huge anecdotal evidence on their side to support them should be taken seriously and considered a form of empirical, democratic, in the field scientific evidence. Be aware! Do your research! Don't believe the hype - it's a sequel!
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/07/07/pfizer-vice-president-blows-the-whistle-tells-the-truth-about-the-pharmaceutical-industry/
However, anyone who has studied science and the scientific method knows that it is impossible to eliminate all confounding variables in even the best and most clever of experiments. We do not live in a vacuum and the interconnected universe and environment in which we do live is super complex and way beyond our current comprehension.
Granted, the developed lab experiment method has worked wonders and deserves great respect for its many accomplishments. But there is an arrogance that has crept into the academic scientific establishment. An absolutism that rejects any anecdotal evidence - even if it numbers in the millions of cases! This unhealthy, extreme skepticism applies to many of as of yet untested (in the Western sense) Eastern Chinese Medicines, with proven herbal treatments for minor chronic ailments. Western doctors are just getting on the Eastern bandwagon after recent Western style lab studies have proven the benefits of these ancient herbal remedies.
Additionally, Meditation and the mind-body connection was stubbornly rejected by main stream Western Medical Academia for decades and again - only in the last 10-15 years is finally accepting it as a cure for mild mental disorders as well as other cardiovascular heart health related issues. Something that gurus in India already knew thousands of years ago - based on generations of 'anecdotal' experience/proofs.
These anecdotal proofs of health concepts/remedy phenomena that make a positive outcome most likely to occur number in the millions of human cases over many millennia. Remedies mentioned before such as Chinese herbal remedies, Meditation for health, and Native American and Amazonian herbal knowledge for different types of ailments. Even non-toxic solutions like baking soda and vinegar for fending off sickness, indigestion, as well as cleaning pots and pans! These are just a few big time anecdotal scenarios and there are plenty of other valid folk remedies - all from nature - all over the world.
Other phenomena that also have huge anecdotal numbers in the millions are Near Death Experiences (NRD), where people report a very similar experience of a colorful tunnel/bridge vision with some type of religious or family figure telling them to go back because it is not their time to die yet - type of scenario. Another highly controversial subject matter is UFO/Alien encounters. Millions have been reported all over the world since actual records have been kept - last 70 years basically. People reporting UFO sightings are not just your weird neighbors. They are your doctors, judges, Air Force and other respected military personnel and healthy upright citizenry - all over the world!
When does anecdotal evidence ring true? I think once it passes several thousand reported and substantiated cases - it becomes pretty solid empirical evidence. This is way more than the typical sample size in most cited lab type studies, which usually only number from 50-150 participants - or less!
Let me use a more recent phenomenon to illustrate my point. The use of toxic-free Diatomaceous Earth for multiple uses including as a pesticide, and for food poisoning/bad bacteria/unhealthy gut micro-biome in farm animals and humans alike. Diatoms are micro-sized, silica based, shelled algae creatures that died and dried up in the sun over millions of years and have been used for the previously mentioned scenarios for generations now.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth
Diatoms are micro-sized, yet sharp and can cut into small bugs under guts rendering them dead. It can do the same to bad bacteria in the gut/intestines, and has been used by many farmers around their crops as pesticides, and fed to their sick animals as a cure for bad gut bacterial infections - for generations! More recently they have been used as an alternative to highly toxic pesticides in the elimination/battle against evil bed bugs in cities around the world.
Yet the orthodox academic realm has not accepted these anecdotal stories that now number in the many thousands, if one does just a little bit of research on the internet. The reason science has not investigated this phenomena is because there is no long term profit/monetary $ gain, which as any educated, honest and aware person of how the world of science works, will admit is the main driving force of most scientific studies. War, profits, and gaining of resources have been the fundamental drivers/funding of science historically.
In conclusion, one must consider how untrustworthy profit-based science and all multi-national corporations have proved to be in recent times and therefore be skeptical of the corporate puppet skeptics and trolls who make their living spreading false information on many subjects. Subjects/phenomena that have huge anecdotal evidence on their side to support them should be taken seriously and considered a form of empirical, democratic, in the field scientific evidence. Be aware! Do your research! Don't believe the hype - it's a sequel!
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)