Jenny McCarthy Fallacy 1

The fallacies of Jenny McCarthy as she spouts misinformation about autism. Here to the website for the full version podcast: http://www.skepticsfieldguide.net/2008/12/podcast-hunting-humbug-101-tutorial...

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Jenny
• McCarthy
• Larry
• King
• Fallacy
• Skepticism
• Skeptic
• Critical
• Thinking
• Science
• Reason

[dalemillssydney]

Good video: a few suggestions.

1. Correlation = causation is the logical fallacy cum hoc ergo propter hoc.

2. Cut the poor introduction. I can click away in a second, so get to the meat immediately.

3.  Cut the background music at the beginning. It just makes it harder to hear the commentary.

Keep up the scepticism !

[TCUtoob]

Thanks Dale - your comments just might be crazy enough to work! Correlation = causation is cum hoc, but McCarthy is doing a post hoc (a type of correlation error) by saying the kids get autism after the vaccine shot. I probably wasn't clear enough in saying this in the commentary though... (and the name's not too important - so long as people can see her errors). Cheers, Theo

[TCUtoob]

@ gotmine9 What error in logic? Be more specific. I can be specific. You have made the "Burden of Proof" fallacy. Look it up at my website skepticsfieldguide net.

[TCUtoob]

Also, studies into vaccines and autism don't show links. Read wikipedia (as a start). I'm interested in truth, no matter what it is. I require quality evidence, not wishful thinking. Parents' instincts are a starting point for research, not the end point. Be open minded - go listen to my podcast on this.

[TCUtoob]

That sums it up nicely. When she does a science degree and the follows it up with a PhD on autism, then I might start thinking she it worthy of being interviewed about the causes of autism.

[lawyerly]

That anyone would take pseudo-scientific advice from a high school graduate is mind blowing. The woman doesn't know what she's talking about.

[1948BigCy]

@spectrumVerX I totally agree...I teach autistic kids, worked at a Regional Center, and have relatives with autistic children...The increase may be artificial, i.e., underdiagnosed in the past, or over-diagnosed now...

On the other hand, you are going to have a really tough time proving a causal relationship between food additives and autism...this is a fascinating area for research, and hopefully the ultimate cause(S) of autism will be uncovered someday...

[1948BigCy]

@Elhardt You are making the same illogical fallacy that Jenny is making. There is probably no simple cause. Autism does not usually appear until 2 years of age...most are boys...why...girls are vaccinated at the same age...what other changes happened at two?...

I feel for the parents of autistic kids...but if spotted early enough, many can be helped...I have a second cousin like that, who graduated high school...

Don't listen to Jenny's nonsense...there is more danger in driving in a car...

[lukesmailbox]

I have a form of autism and I find Jenny McCarthy claim that autism is cause by vaccinations and can be cure to be an insult to all people with autism.

[xXaudraXannXx]

@BigHashTouraj that was random... lmao

[spectrumVerX]

@Elhardt You might consider more than one cause for this autism. We have more additives in our food and drink than ever before. We have synthesized foods, processed food substitutes...you don't even need real cocoa powder in a product to call it chocolate anymore. There have certainly been dangerous vaccines in the past, but the good done by the vaccine far outweighs the occasional bad. Autism, like ADHD, is also over-diagnosed.

[Elhardt]

Ran across this vid be accident. I'm not understanding the criticism of Jenny McCarthy. There are many reports of kids who were just fine until they received some vaccination, then right afterward the kid is no longer the same, but appears autistic. Seems pretty clear that the vaccination could very well be the cause. Add to that, that autism is about 10 times more prevalent now than it was in the 1970s. Are we just supposed to ignore that and go on as if nothing is wrong?

[BigHashTouraj]

they should let you do taxes on youtube

[pchtermino1]

The only two congressmen that voted down the swine flu vaccine were both doctors.

Our media played it up quite a bit. Autism started in the US in the 80's. Still think its normal? When you go to your doctor how many pharmaceutical posters are on the wall? The pharmaceutical lobbyists spend 1.9 million dollars a day in Washington. A day. A day. (google estimate)

[daGr8Satan]

I have been alive a short 32 years but I have older parents from the Great Depression & WW2 generation. My father & uncle almost died from polio as children. During those times it was not uncommon for families to lose a child to such a disease or for the kid you played stickball with to succumb to such a disease. If this starts to happen again you'll see all of these idiot parents lined up for miles to get their kids vaccinated. We take modern times for granted and have forgotten the past.

[dallasgoldbug]

she has a fucking autistic child you moron! Who is paying you? What government or corporate body is paying you to be an idiot? Go brush your teath and drink some more water, you flouride lovin' ass.