- Joined
- Mar 1, 2009
- Messages
- 796
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- 3
Not only have you misunderstood (and mis-characterized) my argument, but you've misunderstood the entire context of this discussion. Either you didn't read the discussion, or you read the discussion and you didn't understand it.
The point of the albino limb example is to show that belief without reason is not harmless. We have no reason (i.e. evidence) to believe in the efficacy of alternative medicine (herbs, essences, or witchcraft). It doesn't matter how many people profess firsthand experience with these remedies, the fact is that they are founded in failed science, unfalsifiable thesis's, and superstition.
I never imagined that someone would call my bluff and be receptive to the idea that albino limbs have medicinal property (touche' August West).
I'm open to any idea that is falsifiable and can be provided with good reason to believe it. I'm not interested in forming "kind" rebukes to people with terrible ideas about medicine. I believe, firmly, that bad ideas in the public sphere should be criticized. We should not cover our ears and turn our heads when future medical practitioners are expressing credulity to nonsense.
Talk about mis-characterizations. This has nothing to do with your absurd hypothetical. All I stated was that when potential alternative treatments are upheld to and scrutinized under a comprehensive set of criteria, such as efficacy, known side effects, ethical principles, practicality, legality, etc. - there is no reason to believe that such medicine cannot coexist with and compliment more traditional methods. I don't care if it is aromatherapy, playing music for the animal or an herbal tincture. If Tinkle Tonic reduces the number of UTIs a cat suffers through and improves their overall health while showing no side effects, then why not embrace it? This whole discussion is a bit silly to me. Perhaps it all comes down to semantics. But anything that enhances the wellness of animals, whether it is deemed traditional or alternative, bizarre or mundane, and accepted by your vet school or dismissed as an "old wive's tale" is worth a further investigation to me. Call it intellectual curiosity... or naivety if you like.