Mangled Thoughts

Posted by D
James Randi carries frequently enough, as in this week’s Swift report on the link below, accounts of those with serious medical conditions giving up medical treatment for soothesayers.

In Australia, two children have died this year because their respective parents, out of anguish more than anything else one suspects, turned to `alternative medicine’ including `psychics.’ The Australian Skeptics site contains a summary of a trial of one charlatan, which is yet to be conducted.

The most recent was reported in yesterdays Herald Sun . The Melbourne couple might be charged. I don’t believe that is warranted. The parents turned to quackery and have lost their child , punishment enough and no less because they have the rest of their lives to reflect on their stupidity and the upshot.

Is it, however, surprising, that some might resort to quackery? Theory is dismissed as mere thoery as opposed to pragmatism, while supersititous belief, primitive, at bottom , and mystoguogy are promoted as `equally valid approach to truth’.As for science, magic is just as sound, afer all that is all that `alternative medicine’ amounts to.

Each tier of govt is playing a heavy hand in the promotion of snake oil sellers. The Dept. of Environment, EPAs of the states are rank testimony to quackery, as also the Spring St Spivs windmills and other poliies which suck up to those who spare no effort in attacting sound science and solid scientists the polpotian commie greens.

Then there is the outrageous taxpayer kept practioners of quackery like sociologists, environmental science, religious studies, psychology.
Then take the mongrel beast `Medicare’ which includes funding for `alternative medicine’.

Good science shows out in medicine, sound theory over bunk wins. It applies as much to economics and law ,and history, bye the bye.But the massive amounts spent on quackery of govts and, bye the bye, the promotion of quackery in governments’ owned schools and those not so owned as well, one is more than just suggesting has made charlatanism as reputable as good science. This is another reason which renders charging the Melbourne couple a fatuous excercise.

Spivvery is a great boon, easy money for those who do nothing, put up nothing, but only hector, moralise and dictate and also sell snake oil. May worms rot their useless fat behinds.