Comment

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on April 1, 2013 at 9:24pm

Our comforting conviction that [the] world makes sense rests on a secure foundation: our almost unlimited ability to ignore our ignorance. -- Daniel Kahneman

Comment by Luara on March 26, 2013 at 2:14pm

Brian Dunning tends to be right on. However, when it comes to Economics or Politics he doesn't seem to stick to his own guidelines for skeptical inquiry.

Yes, he can manifest the worst of what calls itself skepticism.  In medicine as well.  For example, in one of a series of InFact videos purporting to tell people The Truth about things, he tells us

There are actually only a tiny number of people who have to avoid gluten, basically those with celiac disease

I pointed out to him some of the recent research on non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which affects about 10% of people, many more than have celiac disease.  

But even if this research hadn't been done - saying that only people with celiac disease need to avoid gluten, makes the assumption that the research on people's reactions to gluten is complete!

And there is no reason to think that, and since science has not yet figured out everything about people's reactions to gluten, the best that people can do is to take an empirical approach to whether they're better off with a gluten-free diet.   

Brian Dunning making that assumption is an example of a kind of "skeptical" prejudice, making unwarranted claims that science knows more than it does.  It's a skeptic not being skeptical about science. 

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on April 21, 2012 at 11:32pm

Comment by Dallas the Phallus on December 16, 2011 at 5:19pm

 

In like manner, if I let myself believe anything on insufficient evidence, there may be no great harm done by the mere belief; it may be true after all, or I may never have occasion to exhibit it in outward acts. But I cannot help doing this great wrong towards Man, that I make myself credulous. The danger to society is not merely that it should believe wrong things, though that is great enough; but that it should become credulous, and lose the habit of testing things and inquiring into them; for then it must sink back into savagery.

William Kingdon Clifford, The Ethics of Belief(1877), Chapter I, "The Duty of Inquiry"

Full text of The Ethics of Belief

Comment by Adam on February 27, 2010 at 10:45am

@DOS 'Party At Ground Zero" by Fishbone would work too.

Comment by Aiden on December 17, 2009 at 9:24am

Comment by D.O.S on December 12, 2009 at 11:32am

Prince's 1999 would probably good too.

Comment by Aiden on November 27, 2009 at 8:03am

DOS, it may seem clichéd, but should you throw such a disaster-themed party, remember that REM's "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" is required to be played and drunkenly, loudly sung-along with at some point during the party.

Comment by D.O.S on November 27, 2009 at 7:48am

I don't generally do much for my birthday but since the Mayan Calendar ends on it, 12-21, I'm thinking in 2012 I might have to have a huge bash. My wife and I had a big new years party for 2000 in part because we both find the end of the world nuts so annoying. Maybe I could get on NPR if I do a disaster theme. :)

Comment by D.O.S on October 12, 2009 at 9:51am

And Randi kicks ass. Hope he's doing well. Last I heard his health was questionable. It's a bit depressing that the old guard, so to speak, of Skepticism and Humanism aren't going to be with us much longer.

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