From Abracadabra to Zombies

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reader comments: acupuncture

14 May 2008

Much of what I read on your site I believe highlights legitimate skepticism towards questionable beliefs and practices. However, it seems to me you are extremely resistant to empirical evidence. I believe you may carry this to a fault.

Much of what is documented in science starts with empirical evidence. Oftentimes, empirical observations are far ahead of science's ability to test their correctness. For example, until the 20th century it was probably not possible to scientifically prove cigarette smoking was bad for your health. Would you have labeled a "quack" someone who suggested people not smoke due to its dangers? How many would need to die before you would be willing to consider the value of the empirical evidence? At some point empirical evidence provides a "common sense" basis for guiding our actions, even without the "scientific" proof to back it up. Science often lacks the tools to validate correctly observed cause and effect relationships.

As you correctly point out in your acupuncture article, meridians and chi have never been proven to exist and seem to defy any sort of measurement. Does this guarantee they do not exist? Of course not. Given the several thousands of years of empirical evidence, it is just as likely science has simply not advanced to the point of being capable of detecting or measuring their existence.

On a final note, on your feedback page your write "If it makes you feel good to write an insulting letter...". Because someone disagrees with you does not justify them writing you an insulting letter. One does not deserve to be insulted for expressing their views. However, you slyly sidestep this by sprinkling condescending and insulting remarks throughout your writing.

Apparently you request others to "do as you say, not as you do". If you don't enjoy being insulted, don't insult others that may disagree with you. Hypocrisy is not an admirable trait.

Kind Regards,
Anthony

reply: I agree with you about the note on my feedback page. It is unnecessary, so I removed it. I will say, though, that I try to reserve my insulting comments for those who insult me first. That said, I know from years of experience that even when I don't intend to insult someone, some people read what I say as insulting. Anyway, to me the more important issue you raise is the one about not giving due respect to empirical evidence and your example of acupuncture.

I assume you have read my posts on acupuncture and my essay on evaluating personal experience. If not, then your comments are made in ignorance because in those writings I make it crystal clear that one must not ignore empirical evidence but one must be open to the possibility that the explanation you favor is not the only one and may not be the best one.

If, on the other hand, you have read my articles on evaluating acupuncture claims and studies, and on evaluating experience, then I don't understand your criticism. All the empirical evidence strongly supports the claim that acupuncture works by the placebo effect. Science will never have tools to measure chi or meridians because they are metaphysical concepts, not empirical realities. These concepts were developed long before any empirical understanding of health and disease entered the Chinese medical tradition. But science does have the tools to tease out placebo effects from non-placebo effects. Studies that have done this are reviewed in my writings on acupuncture.

Finally, if you find my response insulting, I don't know what to say except that it is not intended to be so.

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