James Randi, Brian Dunning, scepticsm, and anti-intellectualism for fun and profit.

November 28, 1:46 AMSandusky County Politics ExaminerMichael Stahl

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I don't often have the inclination, or frankly the time, to wonder into the sordid world of fringe "science" and "conspiracy theory" , yet I have on a couple occasions. That said, I came across a posting on another site that I thought might be worth commentary. This youtube "movie" "Here Be Dragons" running about 40 min, was presented as a "how to guide to critical thinking". I suggest we examine that for a tick, shall we?

First, this guy doesn't mention the most common rhetorical misdirection, ad hominem. Of course, there is a reason for this-he uses the "guilt by association" version of it to set up his book sales pitch. Chiropractors and Yoga are in the same group as 9/11 truthers and palm readers....seriously?*

This is common fare in the peculiar from of charlatanry practiced by James Randi and his acolytes. I bought into it for awhile too, until I realized that it ,too, was just a sales pitch.

But it's worse than a sales pitch, he's flat out lying as well. The "pseudoscience" behind vaccines and Autism is said to have as much credibility as believing that eating rice causes black hair(because Asians eat rice). Umm, not quite. I'm a grad student in History so I've got access to academic databases, so I fired up "ProQuest" and searched "Autism AND vaccines" I got 271 peer-reviewed(the word of God to Randiesque charlatans, remember) hits on the subject. I learned something, there is a definite correlation between Autism and mercury(and lead) exposure, AND that several childhood vaccines(particularly one known as MMR) contained mercury as a preservative. Using that preservative was stopped in 1999 in vaccines destined for children, because of this concern. Did it cause Autism-it seems unclear(especially from my 15 min study), but it damn well is a greater case for "causation" than the silly derogatory ad hominem that worrying about it is tantamount to believing that eating rice makes you Asian!

I got 215 peer reviewed hits for "herbal remedies", with a couple of the abstracts I read seeming very positive.

At the end the penultimate of over the top thought control is employed. we are informed that History(incorrectly, by the way)does not entertain "holocaust denial", neatly painting any disagreement with the Dunning orthodoxy with that nasty brush. That sort of anti-intellectual nonsense really does belong in the "Dark Ages"...or actually NOT there, the "Dark Ages" were likely too enlightened for such silliness.

Of course, this is likely too long, you were warned to be very afraid of long arguments, were you not?

I love critical thinking, and knowledge, but that's not what's presented here. Instead conformist, even anti-intellectual, rubbish is presented to to get the gullible to buy a book. Think for yourself, and read things written by actual scientists or experts in a field, rather than listening to some tool try to sell you a book that will make you "feel" smart. Most of what you read is pure bull.

People like this do have some value, but in the end they are simply cashing in on the other side of what Randi calls "woo", and sadly in so doing cast hostility on honest inquiry...in order to sell books.

If you ever hear the "holocaust" associated with anything other than mid-twentieth century Germany, you can expect to be asked for money soon after, as in this case.

A true tragedy is that Mark Twain did not live to comment on the Randi cult.

*Recall, neither chiropracty or yoga are directly challenged....just maligned, and equated with conspiracy theory and holocaust denial, yet both focus on stress relief and muscle stretching that is in the "gee whiz" category of "beneficial"-or at least not harmful...so why challenge them? By the way, chiropractic care is lumped into a group of things "not approved by the FDA" (as though that enhances credibility...) yet chiropractic care is fully covered by Medicare. Personally I have no use for either government institution(or any of them .....), but the "critical thinker" here does, and uses them to advance his superstitious profit mongering.

By the way, I'd love to link to all those journal entries I mentioned...but I'm forbidden it by copyright law, all of the academic databases I'm aware of are only available by subscription....and I'm not quite that big on civil disobedience(though admittedly I've had access for the last several years, so I've not looked-got one let me know).

The journal article where I learned of the use of mercury as a preservative in vaccines:

Berg, Rebecca. "Autism-An Environmental Health Issue After All?" . Journal of Environmental Health 71:10(2009) 14-19.

The point is conceded by Dunning, however, on his own website!

My point was never about Autism, or vaccines, but rather that Dunning was presenting a sculpted argument in "Here be Dragons"-that is demonstrably true, the man is a liar and trying to take advantage of the ill-informed in the most cynical way. I don't cotton to that, not because I care if he makes money, or even if people are terminally stupid, but because such undeserved sniping makes it harder for honest inquiry to take place. Shame on you Mr. Dunning.