This site or yours, you pick the turf.

It ain't my site, though, so I think if I ever decide to essay on the notion of science in any detail it'll be elsewhere. Like Brent, and…

Trouble is, as they point out, how could he justify any rules or standards without them being constrained by some rationality?

He doesn't try. If you don't think such things are rational, why bother?

So why say he isn’t a relativist, and didn’t think "anything goes" so far as…

Sure, but Brent was following up on your linked definitions, which pretty much tallied with his one-sentence definition of science.

I did not intend my sentence to be a definition of Science. But your attempted counter-example of Einstein was just using a narrow definition of "looking at something".…

Trouble is, as they point out, how could he justify any rules or standards without them being constrained by some rationality?

He doesn't try. If you don't think such things are rational, why bother? To even choose rationality is a choice that sits outside of rationality.

But you can’t move…

He never said "anything goes" so far as truth is concerned. Only method. Scientific method, to be specific.

Which is exactly what Bricmont and Sokal were addressing. They noted he did claim later that he was taken too literally in the ‘anything goes’ claim, arguing that he wasn’t against proceeding…

He starts with the correct observation “All methodologies have their limitations”, and jumps to the false conclusion [therefore] “anything goes”.

To be honest, I think this claim of his is more in the nature of a 'bold claim' rather than something he felt followed from the logic of the limits…

This is clearly science in action, but not by the same methodological rules that apply to say particle physics.

Indeed. It strikes me that science of the past almost always starts with "observe", and very seldom has "make predictions" as key parts of methodology,…

You haven't worked out my style is "deadpan" yet. Stick to your way, it works.

I’d never really change. I’m too old, and set in my ways, as you say.

I'm asking you to give some kind of indication of what you could even accept as evidence. Since the position…

ii)

Australians seem to have the same approach to sport.

Them's fight'n words....

> This seems to be your approach to many issues, from my experience here. If things have “serious” flaws you throw out the baby with the bathwater. You have an odd “things need to be clear” approach, for someone who claims to appreciate nuance

Your stylistic comments are noted.

I…

It was a facetious comment. I didn’t think an emoticon or exclamation mark would be necessary for you – I’ll adjust my posting style.

Nah, it's cool man. You haven't worked out my style is "deadpan" yet. Stick to your way, it works.

I’m not sure what you point is…

Well, Wikipedia says so.

Well, that must be true then.

It was a facetious comment. I didn’t think an emoticon or exclamation mark would be necessary for you – I’ll adjust my posting style.

Seriously dude, how far do you think I have to look to find people making claims…

Steve, Ben, anyone else still following this thread, the case of the NW Nelson dinosaur foot-prints (audio and photos) with Kim Hill this morning is a good example illustrating the difficulties of defining "the scientific method". The dinosaur foot-prints hypothesis is currently the best…

Homeopathic pudding – maybe you only get a microscopically small slice.

Try this, and check out the pub scene at the very end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0

I believe the French consider History a science, and therefore it gets well funded.

Australians seem to have the same approach to sport.

In short (LOL)

Rofflenui. And brilliant post overall.

Well, Wikipedia says so.

Well, that must be true then.

Seriously dude, how far do you think I have to look to find people making claims about being scientists and what their methods are? Every hair brained crackpot who does some experiments can, and frequently does make such a claim.…

And yet you have made many such delineations with respect to particular instances. On what basis have you done this?

With respect to the particulars of the instance, I presume. What instances are you referring to?

Where is your evidence that this agreement is broad?

Well, Wikipedia says so. More…

I studied computer science ...

Just because it has "science" in the name doesn't mean that it is necessarily science :-). (I have a BSc and a DipCompSci but little of what I studied at varsity in Computer Science I would consider as science).

I am really…

I never said defining or delineating science was unproblematic.

And yet you have made many such delineations with respect to particular instances. On what basis have you done this?

However, there is broad agreement as to what the scientific method entails.

Where is your evidence that this agreement is broad?…

In making such a claim you might learn something.

I often feel that I learn something when arguing with you Ben. Not necesarily the point you were hoping to get across, but something.

He just thinks that what they do isn't really quite as systematic as is popularly believed.

Wait,…

Apparently I’ve made a great many claims about what science is already, and yet you want me to make another, bold one!

Perhaps I wasn't clear. I want you to make some specific claims about what science is, rather than the kind of nebulous generalizations that play into Feyerabend's hands.…

If racism or elitism play any part at all then that undermines quite a lot of the claims of rationality.

No, because we're talking about the reaction of scientists, not science per se. They're human too, and can be swayed by irrational factors, as with anyone. For example, did racism…

How about an alternative way of putting it, that two of history's lessons are that from among the broad range of today's quackery only a modest proportion will emerge as tomorrow's orthodoxy.

I guess that's a better way of putting it (except that it seems to be only one lesson).…

But Ben – surely an overstatement or two there?

Surely. Naturally nowhere near all orthodox scientists are 'extremely arrogant', nor does arrogance serve 'no good purpose' in all cases. I think most scientists who do actual scientific research are humbled by nature on a daily basis, and will seek inspiration…

Link that to global warming & we're onto something.

Global warming and it's associated ills (ruined harvests, etc) are caused because modern society no longer carries out the blood sacrifice. Fact.

Modern science dismisses the wisdom of the ancient peoples of this world at our peril. We need to appease of…

Instead we have here the more stimulating proposition – Miracles just…

Homeopathic Pudding

(From Mrs B. Shears of Hunter)

Line a basin with bread cut about half inch thick. Pour into it stewed black currants and put a piece of bread…

I see Our Tube has a link to an earlier Sunday Morning Laidlaw…

Just to stay congruent with the original post. I must say, never ever kill an albatross. Because thats what brings on the bad weather. It isn't good to whistle below decks ether.

Link that to global warming & we're onto something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIaV8swc-fo

On other fronts, camera recharging-

(by me)

if it's on the right plinth (and I am sure Steve will make it so)

Yes it will.

it will *ring*

so we need the photo, size etc Islander. If you can send those details ,would be excellent. Cheers.
Steven C, you do what you want, aint no pressure at this…

We can deal with that kind of stuff day-to-day because- that is what it is-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta-Z_psXODw

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/17/bad-science-chiropractors

Shall I onsend photos et al?

Ok let's start this ball rolling.For anyone out there who would like to donate artworks/sculptures reading matter or financial donations for postage of artworks etc to the Rehab Plus in Auckland could you step forward now .Russell may have organised the financial stuff for…

but the article you linked to makes it pretty clear astrology, as well as rain dances, were examples of practices that he considered scientists dismissed because of racism or elitism or both.

It could probably do with some clarification then. I read that as saying that scientists sometimes dismiss…

His folks eventually found out that he was allergic to anything remotely related to dairy products: milk, beef, icecream, etc etc. They went to the extent of checking food additives in any processed foods…

I thought you'd disagree.

Not necessarily with everything, I must say. In fact, I’ll have to read more on Feyerabend to come to any more solid conclusions on his views. I’ll add Against Method to my increasingly long list of books I must read.

Re: Astrology and racism – I…

OTOH, I like Editing The Herald's take on the reporting thereof.

ETH: making reading the Herald feel slightly less like beating your head against a brick wall since 2009.

OTOH, I like Editing The Herald's take on the reporting thereof.

I get a phone call from a couple who want to test their intervention behaviour change method .....they employ the power…

Islander

All best with getting…

It also explains how things went from "mystery Asian woman" to "possibility of…

The mysterious Asian woman seen with Aisling Symes was mentally unwell and has a history of trying to lure children into cars with lollies.

The Herald has learned the woman was from the Philippines, had a dog and fitted the…

I didn't catch the first third or so of the thread so apology if the Niels Bohr anecdote has been brought up already. Here it is, as told by Slavoj Zizek just yesterday on Democracy Now! :

You know Niels Bohr, Copenhagen, quantum physics…

*mental effect* When I was 10, the lastest dermatologist I was taken to said to my mother, "It'll probably go away in…

Re: Astrology and racism – I not sure if Feyerabend was saying Astrology particularly had been a victim of racism. He spoke of many 'alternative' beliefs,…

I watched a court case during Auckland's cook-street market heydays . He, the tripped out hairy dude, had been charged with reading taro-cards, in public. His lawyer was Colin Amery. Colin had the case shifted to the high court. The charges were subsequently dropped, I understood.

What a great story…

I wouldn't be surprised to say that western views on non-western astrology aren't on one level racist.

Fair enough, there's no rule against both those things being true. But the thing is that scientific inquiry has ruled out astrology being true in a very comprehensive manner; you can't ignore that.…

Back to the "othering" of races ... I think the Asian community leaders have a right to demand some sort of clarification here.

...astrology. Astrology.

Nah, I wouldn't be prepared to say that western dismissal of non-western astrology wasn't basically racist; after all western anthropology etc did dismiss correct ideas for racist reasons, therefore on the basis that the reasons for incorrect and correct ideas are essentially similar, I wouldn't be surprised to…

Perhaps it hasn't been expressed clearly enough already:

Placebo effect is a positive result. It requires belief. If you successfully destroy the credibility of "quackery" you remove a potentially useful placebo.

On other bits:

Cranial osteopathy for reflux seems to have observed support from…

Actually, I've seen plenty of 'psychics' do their thing for free, or for a modest expense reimbursment. Many of them appear to be in it for the attention and validation, and I suspect may genuinely be convinced of being gifted. I wouldn't judge the whole category on the few…

They work on two levels:

1/Doing something is better than doing nothing & this is a party with a purpose. You can let your frustrations out in dance and beating a drum.

2/That drum and stomping on hard dry earth might assist/cause the clouds to compact…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/03/bad-science-verdict-drug-trials

If Deb had said anything to anyone at the time (on the 6th) she could hardly change her tune the next morning.

It's alright. I'm officially over it.

For example, he thought that negative opinions about astrology and the effectivity of rain dances were not justified by scientific research, and dismissed the predominantly negative attitudes of scientists towards such phenomena as elitist or racist

...astrology. Astrology.

Assuming she didn't also see that morning's front page of New Zealand's largest newspaper, then you're right.

Well, I wouldn't be surprised either way. Deb said she didn't follow the news too much. On Breakfast, they protrayed it as if that glimpse from the previous day was all she'd seen/heard.…

Paul Feyerabend had some interesting views on science's place in society.

Interesting views, yes. But I couldn't disagree more with some of them. "He was especially indignant about the condescending attitudes of many scientists towards alternative traditions. For example, he thought that negative opinions about astrology and the effectivity of…

Must take that site down at some stage.

Meanwhile, the Asian woman who is yet isn't a product of subconscious racism in our society has apparently been identified, and the police wants to speak to her.

Quite so, Gio. What were people saying about subconscious memes?

Well, the article refers to her as the 'mystery asian woman'. Which…

I was under the impression that you where a serious intellectual, Kyle.

No, I can still work the photocopier and my computer, and I never leave the office without my keys.

What were people saying about subconscious memes?

That it was still entirely possible she existed, actually, but I'm going to take Stephen's advice.

Meanwhile, the Asian woman who is yet isn't a product of subconscious racism in our society has apparently been identified

Quite so, Gio. What were people saying about subconscious memes?

Righty ho, like I'm going to have some quack, cat, trick me into revealing my credit card numbers.

You say that, but wait until he starts purring...

Green eyes, Matthew? ether your monitor needs calibrating, mine does or one of us is colour blind.

Ha! Fortunately, it's the former, rather than the latter- there was dust and muck on the screen. Whatever, I can almost understand why George was mistaken for a hypnotist. Just look at him!

I'm not saying you have to go and look at pictures of kittens on the internet, but ...

Well, this story connects cats and quackery, which can only be a good thing.

(To be fair, George's green eyes are pretty hypnotic...)

I'm not saying you have to go and look at pictures of kittens on the internet, but ...

There is never a bad time to go and look at pictures of kittens on the internet.

Asians, in modern New Zealand society, are still highly othered. So the idea spreads, and becomes a focus of investigation, because at some level it just makes sense. And it doesn't mean the witnesses are liars, or racists, or the police are racists. It's about a meme.

And I'm equally…

I think now might be the right time for everyone to take a breath.

I'm not saying you have to go and look at pictures of kittens on the internet, but ...

One of the more bizarre figments of the Christchurch Civic Creche case was the supposed victims' accounts of ritual abuse sessions with 'asian tourists' during their outings with Peter Ellis

And it's highly unlikely those kids were thinking "oh, yeah, Asians, Asians are evil."

This isn't about accusing people of…

Which, clearly, is going on; witness the talkback nonsense LegBreak heard. But far be it from me to question the general high-mindedness and non-racism of New Zealand society.

I think there are two things here. An eyewitness said that she saw an asian woman with a child. Police would like…

And the website you link to is sick. I suggest you reconsider, strongly.

I'm not even going to consider following that link.

And here is another piece of hysterical publishing. Suicide linked to new ACC rule

I think that the headline is a problem there, but that the article isn't bad, actually. Counseling can be incredibly important for the continued mental survival of abuse and rape victims. Counseling can help you keep…

A lack of ability to be more specific is zero evidence of anything when dealing with children. Keep that in mind, Lucy, before seeing bad faith and ill-will around every corner.

Jesus Christ. Let me be clear: *I do not think the people who reported it were lying*. I do…

you don't know who saw the so-called Asian woman, or when, or where

I believe it was a nine-year old who mentioned the Asian woman to the Police. A lack of ability to be more specific is zero evidence of anything when dealing with children. Keep that in mind, Lucy,…

Exactly. It's like – why were they sure she was Asian? Why were they sure it was Aisling? How reliable were the witnesses? It was all so vague.

I guess not that reliable in hindsight, but I don't buy into the idea that it was part of some racially motivated…

Belief ... presumption ... what if. This is all guesswork.

The fallibility of eyewitness reports is well-understood, and given the fact that it looks increasingly like the "Asian lady" may not exist – it's not unreasonable to speculate to what extent that aspect is related to traditional memes of missing-child…

My belief that at a distance (which the sighting presumably was) it can be quite hard to distinguish between, say, many East Asians and dark-haired Europeans ... And what if it wasn't Aisling they saw?

Belief ... presumption ... what if. This is all guesswork.

What's your basis for this? Your belief that everyone else is racist?

My belief that at a distance (which the sighting presumably was) it can be quite hard to distinguish between, say, many East Asians and dark-haired Europeans. It seemed weird that the witnesses could be sure the woman was…

I just wonder whether they actually saw what they thought they saw.

What's your basis for this? Your belief that everyone else is racist?

Just checking, is this disbelief about "the Asian lady 'story'" about her entire existence, or about the abduction angle?

Her existence as reported, let's say. That Aisling could have been abducted remained a real possibility until her body was found. That the only solid report of who might have done…

I'm also perturbed that the reports about the Asian woman were very cagey about who saw her, and how the child was identified; how media coverage was hinting the woman might be the abductor, and whether there was a…

Theme of the talkback was along the lines of “well we know that Triads are into kidnapping to order”

I changed channel before it reached its logical conclusion.

No sign of Peter Low so far. Or does he only emerge when the culprit fails the brown paper bag test?

What was the tone of the talkback, LegBreak? I was having similar thoughts to you and Lucy (see earlier comment about Jews stealing Christian children).

Classic formula for demagogy: When in doubt, blame the Jews and Gypsies. And for added effect, burn down the seat of government and blame it…

I changed channel before it reached its logical conclusion.

Perhaps I’m being naïve Lucy, but the way so many fell for that (yes, I did listen to some talkback last week) really surprised and annoyed me..

It's a traditional missing-kid story for a reason; it ties up prejudice, irrational fear, and genuine tragedy into one neat bundle.

I always found the "Asian lady" story a bit suss in this regard – I mean, mysterious member of disliked ethnic group, described only in the vaguest of terms, kidnaps sweet white toddler? Yeah, sure, *that* story has no precedent

Perhaps I’m being naïve Lucy, but the way so many…

I suspect as much as pressure from patients, it's just something doctors do as part of their business. People come to you for treatment, they should walk out the door with some medicine.

I've never encountered that, thankfully. I've had one case of a particularly nasty throat infection (to the…

... took the script, didn't fill it, and she was better three days later.

I believe the Norwegians are on to this. In these cases, they hand out antibiotic prescriptions which can only be filled three days…

It all sounds like yet another cynical attempt by the usual suspects to find a scapegoat.

I always found the "Asian lady" story a bit suss in this regard – I mean, mysterious member of disliked ethnic group, described only in the vaguest of terms, kidnaps sweet white toddler? Yeah,…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw

Its No Legs Bro

It wasn't so many centuries ago that women were burnt as witches because they challenged the status quo and the power hierarchies.

Hang on, this is very tendentious. Yes, women (and men) were burnt as witches. No, in general they hadn't actually done anything to be burnt as witches except…

There were always doubts about the abduction theory. I don't think Deb Webber deserves any more credit than anyone else who guessed that perhaps the police search might have missed something, and that drowning or a fall was also a likely cause of death.

It all sounds like yet another…

Apropos doctors: one of things I like about my GP is he is disinclined to prescribe. I don't hold it against him — I find it reassuring.

I think Webber believes in the reality of what she does. If she was really a charlatan who was just making it up, isn't it just as likely that she would run with the Asian woman abduction line?

There were always doubts about the abduction theory. I don't think Deb…

Nobody came in here using the tragedy to discredit psychics, though. Quite the opposite.

Yeah, my comment went both ways.

Time and place and all that.

OK, I see what you're getting at – my issue isn't really with the accuracy/success/skills of psychics though, it's the specific fact that one stood there "proclaiming" on national TV the fate of this child in a pretty damn unsensitive manner. Psychic or not.

Time and place and all that.

Precisely. Nobody came in here using the tragedy to discredit psychics, though. Quite the opposite.

Parent – "my child has a [cough], I think he needs antibiotics"

Doctor's reply options

a) No he/she needs a more sleep.

(gets seen as insensitive arrogant and incompetent)

or.

b) Okay.

(is blamed for the ineffectiveness antiobiotics worldwide – merely seen as incompetent)

Or, c) Antibiotics won't work on…

Well my apologies Kyle but I'll call exploitive bullshit like that any time.

Up to you. Just feels like standing over a body saying "see look, psychics are crap!"/"psychics can be right!" Dead two year olds shouldn't be part of anyone's causes, except maybe their families.

Time and place and…

Doesn't feel like it has anything to do with the rest of us, we're not the ones whose daughter was missing.

Well my apologies Kyle but I'll call exploitive bullshit like that any time. And yes, it angers me that people can show such little empathy and thought for a…

Can I ask where that came from? It doesn't really gel with this is all:

Actually, I could be wrong. I was thinking of Matt Nippert's follow-up story, which said this:

Webber said she had been contacted by the Symes family after appearing on Breakfast but didn't know whether Aisling was…

Thank you for checking in the actual paper to correct me — my foo with Google News let me down :(

To have this charlatan of a woman effectively saying "she's probably dead" on TVNZ makes me so freakin angry...

I don't know why, but I find both sides of this discussion of physics and Deb Webber over this little girl's body distasteful. I didn't really connect with the story until…

philip: I repeat, the interview with Webber was on the morning on the 7th, barely two days after the disappearance, but the "Asian woman" sightings weren't reported until the 9th. So there is no particular reason for Webber to have guessed anything other than what she did.

I'm sorry Stephen,…

To be fair, the family called TVNZ after the interview aired, apparently wanting to talk to Webber

Can I ask where that came from? It doesn't really gel with this is all:

On a Facebook page dedicated to finding Aisling, a Symes family spokesperson said they were not interested in…

I can imagine that if you start thinking that all your guesses that turn out to be true are divinely guided, whereas the others are just your own weak thoughts, you could end up where Webber is quite innocently.

I find that a lot easier to believe in the mediums…

TVNZ employees hooked her up with the family, didn't they?

To be fair, the family called TVNZ after the interview aired, apparently wanting to talk to Webber. TVNZ risked looking churlish if it refused to provide a contact.

But that doesn't excuse:

– Paul Henry deliberately raising the story in…

She may not…

she only offered to help if asked

TVNZ employees hooked her up with the family, didn't they? I can only hope that they did so out of some misguided sense of kindness. Unfortunately, I can also imagine that their motives might not necessarily be so pure. To which I say:…

Oh Legbreak. Surely you know that psychics are ethical people who would never do anything so venal and wrong as use their skills to cheat in a wager.

Ah, of course.

What a waste of a talent.

I don't think everyone was "assuming" that so much as that was what was being reported as the week went on. The police searched nearby waterways on the night she went missing, and searched the drain twice — they just couldn't find her.

Exactly. Which led police to the assumption…

Joe – she's not my precious Deb Webber. I was just wondering whether there had in fact been any behind the scenes discussions between her and the police team.

If I was a cop, and a psychic had an ACCURATE idea of where a body was, I would reach for…

Surely you know that psychics are ethical people who would never do anything so venal and wrong as use their skills to cheat in a wager. They only exercise them in upright ways like charging money for tickets and television appearances.

Actually, I've seen plenty of 'psychics' do their thing…

I’ll start believing in them the day the TAB stops returning a profit.

Oh Legbreak. Surely you know that psychics are ethical people who would never do anything so venal and wrong as use their skills to cheat in a wager. They only exercise them in upright ways like charging…

The equivalency between asking for extraordinary (helll, ordinary) proof for extraordinary claims and burning people at the stake also eludes me somewhat.

Zing! I wish PAS had "favourites" buttons or some way I could give this a gold star.

Joe – she's not my precious Deb Webber.

Hilary, you certainly give that impression by referring to her in such a familiar manner. It also seems a rather bizarre priority to seek to vindicate the woman's vulture-like opportunism in the midst of tragedy. And Nigel Latta, ffs? What a sad…

The big guy in the red suit out walking his reindeer didn’t come forward either.

As for psychics; I’ll start believing…

What are you guys so fearful about? That there may be things beyond our current comprehension?

How these people continue to make a living off a mix of cold reading and outright guessing is certainly beyond my comprehension.

I just thought some of the comments here and on other threads…

Given that everyone else seemed to be assuming that she had been abducted, possibly by "an Asian woman", it's actually not that vague.

I don't think everyone was "assuming" that so much as that was what was being reported as the week went on. The police searched nearby waterways on…

But Stephen, people do tend to fear what we do not understand or find…

This thread takes me to São Paulo with safe passage and a kilo of cocaine or Russell gets it, ok?

(also that was a very interesting article which I have forwarded to a friend who suffers already).

(OK I am winding people up now – I remember an earlier discussion that mentioned What the Bleep down the Rabbit Hole, and don't want to go there again)

chronic fatigue syndrome.

I would have liked to see Feyerabend and Dawkins communicating in the current context – I like the ideas of both but from time to time they are both guilty of pulling out straw men and bogey monsters to lend impetus to what they write, which IMHO masks the…

It wasn't so many centuries ago that women were burnt as witches because they challenged the status quo and the power hierarchies.

If that were the case with your precious "Deb", Henry would've been making fun of her imagined moustache, rather than crawling so far up her charlatan's rectum that…

What are you guys so fearful about?

Not so much fearful as angry. And "psychics" constitute absolutely no challenge to the status quo and to power hierarchies, quite the opposite in fact. Exploitation of pain and weakness is perfectly consistent with how society operates as a whole.

"ditch, hole, in, fallen."

The vague floundering of a charlatan.

Given that everyone else seemed to be assuming that she had been abducted, possibly by "an Asian woman", it's actually not that vague.

It wasn't so many centuries ago that women were burnt as witches because they challenged the status quo and the power hierarchies. Mediums and some alternative healers could just be continuing this tradition.

"ditch, hole, in, fallen."

The vague floundering of a charlatan.

I believe one of the most common psychic "insights" in this sort of case is that the body will be found near water – because, one has to assume, it's pretty difficult for bodies not to be found near water unless they're in a desert.

Also, I've heard a rule…

... and if so, was the information useful.

No.

In the second place, her actual words on TV were "she's in a ditch, hole, ..." as reported here.

Now a ditch is not a hole. The poor kid was found in a drain, which…

The area had been thoroughly searched already and according to the Dompost today they re-searched on a 'hunch'.

The lead investigator was pretty clear in the press conference right now on the reasons they dug up the drain, and 'a psychic told us to' wasn't one of them.

Does it…

You didn't have to be a medium to guess that — I suggested the same to my partner days ago. Does that make me psychic?

Given the most common cause of death for wandering toddlers, it's pretty damn hard *not* to guess that a drain or stream would be involved.…

And as important – some may say more so – for the understanding of science I heartily recommend this little piece.

It's a good piece. It's extremely hard to ignore the words of a great scientist when it comes to science, and when he fails completely to define the term,…

But Feynman's point was the same as mine: sometimes a brilliant insight precedes empirical data.

A lot of the time. Einstein was apparently in no doubt as to the outcome of many of his theories many years in advance of any ability to actually collect the empirical data, convinced by…

http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/opinion/columnists/2954046/Why-psychics-should-butt-out-of-Aisling-Symes-case

If I were a copper, I'd be looking for kid-sized holes around the place and I wouldn't need a TV fraud to tell me.

Honestly…

You don't need Heisenberg for that; one can imagine a perfectly happy empiricist who admits that one can't observe things that happen infinitely far away in an infinitely large universe

Sure, but Heisenberg says there's a precise limit in what you can see in yourself, or the ground you sit…

If Heisenberg doesn't suggest there are limits to what can be observed, than I don't know what does.

You don't need Heisenberg for that; one can imagine a perfectly happy empiricist who admits that one can't observe things that happen infinitely far away in an infinitely large universe,

And she…

What do you think of pharmacies having shelves of homoeopathic remedies then?

Especially ridiculous.

And even if the "whole" person is considered, how can the watery substance have any effect at all – unless the ailment is psychosomatic?

As has been noted several times in this thread, an ailment doesn't…

If Heisenberg doesn't suggest there are limits to what can be observed, than I don't know what does.

We are only starting to explore the limits of what can be observed, as this amazing image suggests.

I'm a strong physical determinist, but would hate to suggest that we'll ever understand…

The weird thing is, even by the lights of homeopathy, that shouldn't work. Having someone grab a spray off the shelf and take it to the till is hardly taking account of the whole person.

What do you think of pharmacies having shelves of homoeopathic remedies then?

And even if…