Radio live homeopathy debate

31 May 2009. Shaun debates a homeopath, and can't help laughing at her arguments

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Radio
• live
• homeopathy
• debate
• Shaun
• Holt

[corningstonev]

should read 'health care plan'

[corningstonev]

@sleepcity: 'sheer nonsense' is your opinion. @unsernameavailable: When physical signs and symptoms improve that is not a placebo effect. 'People with more money than sense'? No need to sound rude and arrogant just because someone doesn't share your belief. How much do drugs cost people with no health car plan? And if someone does simply feel better and it is in fact a placebo effect at least they have no side effects to deal with opening up another can of worms to deal with.

[usernameavilable]

@corningstonev I think you'll find that in science, we do know how it makes people feel better - it's called the placebo effect. This is why it makes people with more money than sense and a slight case of feeling off, 'recover'. Try treating cancer with homeopathy.

[usernameavilable]

@uberhikari I would have said: "Congrats. You have spotted that the water is not at absolute zero." Do these idiots actually think that when we talk about "energy", that we actually mean "magic". Now if you'll excuse me, I need to add energy to my dinner.

[uberhikari]

Did she just say, "The presence of the energy is in the water"? I would have laughed her off the air.

[corningstonev]

@ Sleepcity: 'well established methods for determining the efficacy of a drug'. Homeopathy is not a drug. You've just made my point. You can't compare apples to oranges my friend. We're going to just have to agree to disagree. What I don't understand is why the scientific community views homeopathy as such a threat. Let it be complimentary to one's personal health regime. I know it works. I don't need the scientific community to tell me it doesn't. Respect choice.

[sleepcity]

@corningstonev The scientific community has well-established methods for determining the efficacy of a drug (they're called randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials). To suggest that the scientific community "hasn't come up with a tool...to measure it" is sheer nonsense. Fortunately for science, efficacy isn't determined by "people who know it works for them." Just like homeopathy, THAT isn't science.

[erlenmayr]

What gives people the impression that homeopathy deserves to be called natural?

[corningstonev]

The scientific community simply hasn't come up with a tool to their liking to measure it yet. People who know it works for them don't need to wait for this.

[thethinkingcat]

So she doesn't need science? And, she won't say what it would take to change her mind about homeopathy. She also seems to think that the energy wibble is actually an *explanation* -- I know what an explanation actually looks like, and that isn't it. And THIS is why homeopathy doesn't count as evidence-based medicine.