Well, I have had this communication as a draft title since 8 April 2014. I thought I should write some more on sceptical thinking matters since I wrote the piece on osteopathy. I have returned to this matter today because for the last few days the virtual world has been lit up by the news that the BBC are no longer going to be allowed to have quacks and frauds on TV programmes to give the “two sides to every story”.
In a nutshell you take a generally accepted view on reality and interview an expert in that subject and then because you can’t appear to be biased you give a nutter the chance to speak about what they think. So you might have someone on the news or science programme discussing evolution and to “balance” the argument (there is no argument, evolution is pretty much done and dusted) you get some religious nut who really thinks the Earth is 6000 years old and therefore evolution can’t exist.
When a view of reality is considered fact (as far as we can accept it) you then have to understand that it takes a huge amount of evidence to over-throw those views and not just someone from a lobbying group going on about how climate change doesn’t exist.
Here’s the link to the Telegraph’s new story.
Just in case you were wondering, here’s some things that are scientifically accepted:
- Gravity
- Evolution by natural selection
- Immunisations
- Anthropogenic Climate Change
Here are some things that are considered bullshit:
- Young Earth creationism
- Homoeopathy
- Chiropractic
- Osteopathy
- Reflexology
- Zero loss power machines
- Astrology
- Crystal energy
Here are some things you are welcome to argue the toss about but there is never going to be proof of the positive:
- Existence of god and or gods
- Telepathic powers
- Mediumship
- The “soul”