Here Be Dragons - Critical analysis of pseudoscience 1of5

[BigFatHeretic]

I think a map of Washing DC labeled with "Here There Be Dragons" would be most appropriate, because we have a lot of Republican (Retardican) right-wing Christard Funny-mentalists in Congress and the Senate who are trying to pass legislation to insert Creationism into science textbooks and enacting all sorts of draconian laws to take away more of our Constitutional rights. Yeah! Washington DC. Here there be dragons!

[yillow1]

I dont buy into pseudoscience or homeopathic crap. But why did the video show images of like salmon oil and colon cleanse stuff? Fish oil is high in omega fatty acids, which are good for the body. Unless that particular brand claimed to have magical healing properties or something.

[12stringsforme]

Eating garlic also makes your sweat smelly.

[libertyfalls]

You mean fish oil and cracking my neck wont make my nightmares go away? lol! I love this dude. I subscribe to his podcast and he blows me away every week. Brian dunning 2012!

[warriorprince1010]

Dragons simply means "fabulous reptile". They usually meant pterosaurs, dinosaurs, crocodiles and large snakes. On maps dragons usualyl appeared in areas that had been seen and hence why they saw dinosaurs in those areas. Many towns are named after dragons. We have found dinosaurs [dragons] in the fossil record so we know they existed. This is how science history works.

[dewgy32]

all it takes is research, real research, to learn science. Its best to study and search than to just assume.

[smdmdfs]

I cannot find information about Brian Dunning having a scientific education. He is a computer expert and wants to tell us what "real" sciences are? That is absurd...

[DINDRAGON]

His definition of pseudo-science is valid.

[poorkinghaggard]

Not exactly. Parapsychology is supported by science and evidence, and I assume that is what he means by "psychic powers".

[DohsOfReality]

Sure it is ; ) That must be why the James Randi Foundation still has its $1 million safe and sound

[poorkinghaggard]

lol um, yeah. Well, then "Doctor" Kent Hovind still has his "challenge" money because evolution must not be a serious endeavor.

Do you see how this reasoning works both ways?

[tommyk77]

@poorkinghaggard The JRef has a legit challenge that the participants agree to before entering. Hovind askes for impossible 'evidences'.

You comparison is flawed

[12stringsforme]

Then go collect his 1 million dollar reward for proof of 'paranormal' phenomena. It's a fair and open challenge.

[poorkinghaggard]

I reject to your application of the word "fair" because the Challenge rules explicitly are unfair by design. For example, Randi is under no legal obligation to relinquish his money (if it exists). He also has several criteria that are selectively bias, such as a requirement for a "media presence" and "academic" witnesses outside the Foundation.

There are no significant scientific discoveries made by his criteria, and I would love to see otherwise.

[blehblehbleh86]

@poorkinghaggard The money exists. Goldman Sachs has it, and will provide you evidence if you ask for it. The tests simply have to be scientifically valid, which is a self-correcting mechanism that can determine what is happening. Thinking that is somehow unfair speaks volumes about your lack of rational thinking. No wonder you believe bullshit - your baloney detection kit is fundamentally broken. Hopefully not beyond repair.

[blehblehbleh86]

@poorkinghaggard No, it claims to be, but so far not one single "parapsychologist" has ever shown anything that could not be explained by the mundane. It's pseudoscience. It doesn't get to pick and choose whether it's pseudoscience any more than a cat chooses to be a ham sandwich.

[loqiloqi]

The first half of this video seems to be ridiculing people for making kooky statements. By doing this, it's making implied claims that these statements are incorrect. It never actually says "look at this fool; my belief is opposite to hers," but it underhandedly implies just that.

I'm sorry but claiming (or insinuating) "your statement is untrue because you are a nut jub" is just not how real science is done.

Read the other comments and you'll see the confusion it causes.

[SOLOcan]

However, its hard to actually make a point without a dramatization to hook people in. Yes the first half of the video is simply, 'look at these kooks if you actually believe any of this stuff you are wrong trust me', but he does kinda start explain himself at the end of it.

I'm only backing him up is because i listened to a little bit of his podcast, and subjects like this are all about evidence and details, but its hard to attract attention in a video format without generalizing/dramatizing.

[loqiloqi]

I've got no problem with the "look at these kooks" part. That's funny in a cruel sort of way. But the "if you believe this stuff you are wrong" part is a falsifiable statement, requiring evidence.

Implicitly asserting that herbal remedies are a ripoff, or that fish oil doesn't do jack is a de-facto claim. He says he's not making any claims. Not true -- unless you ignore standard convention and interpret the video very, very literally.

Look how confused the other comments are.

[Nightmare060]

Wait a minute, I'm confused about one thing;

A: Omega3 fishoils don't work? I thaught that at least was scientificly supported. Could somone link me to a source suggesting it doesn't work? Or did I misunderstand one of the pictures?

[DINDRAGON]

It is a common dietologist claim that Omega fatty acids are beneficial to brain development and might work against cancer but the truth (or the most objective observation) is that this claim has not been extensiveley tested and the initial enthusiasm has been unrationaly prolonged by marketing strategies. Put it otherwise... it is not consensus among dietologists and neurologists. It is credible but it is not proven as scientific fact.

[KaseyAkira]

Ok, a few things are SERIOUSLY wrong here. Why is he including things like Ginko Baloba and a myriad of other health food supplements, almost ALL of which have scientific research backing up their effectiveness, grouped in with things like telepathy and palm reading?

Dont think Air Borne works?

h t t p (colon slash slash) 3 w's . ncbi . nlm . nih . (gee oh vee) / pubmed / 16373990?ordinalpos=4&itool=En­trezSystem2 .PEntrez.Pubmed .Pubmed_ResultsPanel .Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel. Pubmed_RVDocSum

[KaseyAkira]

Air Borne is simply a collection of vitamins that have been PROVEN to have a positive effect on the immune system. Nearly every supplement seen here has research backing it (I keep saying "nearly" and "almost" because come on... you deliberately included some insane things, like a natural cure for schizophrenia). It seems this guy really cant keep his facts straight about what is fantasy and what is reality.

[Kzaks]

KaseyAkira

On August 14, 2008, a press release from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stated that Airborne Health, Inc. has agreed to pay up to $30 million to settle FTC charges. According to the FTCs complaint: "there is no competent and reliable scientific evidence to support the claims made by the defendants that Airborne tablets can prevent or reduce the risk of colds, sickness, or infection; protect against or help fight germs; reduce the severity or duration of a cold; and protect-

[Kzaks]

-against colds, sickness, or infection in crowded places such as airplanes, offices, or schools."

The FTC complaint also states that the company's founders, Victoria Knight-McDowell and Thomas John McDowell "made false claims that Airborne products are clinically proven to treat colds." ~ wikipedia Airborne_(dietary_supplement)

[Kzaks]

KaseyAkira

"In 2002, a long-anticipated paper appeared in JAMA titled "Ginkgo for memory enhancement: a randomized controlled trial." This Williams College study, sponsored by the National Institute on Aging examined the effects of ginkgo consumption on healthy volunteers older than 60. in The-

[Kzaks]

-conclusion, "When taken following the manufacturer's instructions, ginkgo provides no measurable benefit in memory or related cognitive function to adults with healthy cognitive function." ~ wikipedia Gingko_biloba

[ThatOneQuestion]

Awesome video!

This is a premise I use to mock religion because, quite simply, faith is an excuse to hide the lack of knowledge. Ignorance is frightening, so there we have it.

[ssnatcherss]

Good stuff. Pseudoscience FTL.

[glifencible]

The people who gave the testimonials at the beginning are likely voters! :(

[BadYahweh]

Looks like a good documentary.

[MarcinP2]

Cool program. "Natural healing of schizofrenia" rofl! ;D