When Myth Trumps Science

When Myth Trumps Science

www.newsweek.com

Once we believe something, whether it's truth or myth, we begin to see confirmation in the world around us. In psychology, Alcock explains, this is known as an illusory correlation: making connections between particular events that line up with our beliefs about the world. ...

It's instinctual to make sense of the patterns we see, to assign some kind of order to the mystifying connections that continually occur around us.

(visit the link for the full news article)


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This article is mainly about a study and book two pediatricians at Indiana University put together on a few medical myths that many doctors still believe.

For me, the core ideas are most interesting, especially for Above Top Secret. I particularly like the observation that "It's instinctual to make sense of the patterns we see, to assign some kind of order to the mystifying connections that continually occur around us."

The article continues:

"People often take rumors or anecdotes as fact," says Vreeman. "We tend to give those things as much weight as we would a scientific study because they're connected to people in charge. We sometimes reason things out after the fact, come up with patterns to explain what we saw happen."

... "We can become attached to beliefs that seem to serve a function for us," Alcock explains, "and we don't like to give them up even if they're false because they seem too true to be false." This is especially true when we get information from a trusted source. ...(like) parents, doctors and media, ...

The study and article talk about how 'new scientific information' makes past ideas obsolete, but people hang on to the original information - thus creating "medical myths."

Where I think the study and article fall short is that neither considers the fact that data is manipulated, and people know it. That sometimes, agenda masquerades as science to try and trump a previous agenda.

It's not always about myths trumping science. All too often, it's about people knowing their strings are being pulled and just digging their heels in, in self defense.



www.newsweek.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Myths, kind of like how people think Evolution is fake, and god created everything.

Nice find . I always enjoy a good article on why people behave as dumb as they do.

Geez... I would be embarassed to start a thread about this subject.



If you are going to make it your lifes work to go out and discredit what you believe are mistaken notions...

It MIGHT be a good idea to get things right!



Maybe the news person got the story, about what the 'mythbusters' are doing, wrong?

It comes off more like a self-serving attempt at grabbing some kind of publishing credit, than actually adding something to the 'medical' literature.

It has MANY signs of a disinformation campaign.

BTW, the THEORY of Evolution is just so much wishful thinking. NOT supported by the facts. Velikovsky shot Darwin's theories down wholesale more than 50 years ago.

It's just the Absurdists are too busy doing social things like peer review, treating cancer with chemotherapy, standing on their soapboxes making ALL kinds of declarations (like what is supposedly portrayed in this book ) to let a little thing like the FACTS get in the way of their religious dogma.



Maybe I digress...



[edit on 28-5-2009 by golemina]

Originally posted by Kaytagg

Nice find

. I always enjoy a good article on why people behave as dumb as they do.

Yep. Helps me to keep my perspective anyway.

And thank you golemina for illustrating the premise rather admirably.

Quick, religious types, we need a preacher in here, right away!

Originally posted by soficrow
Once we believe something, whether it's truth or myth, we begin to see confirmation in the world around us. In psychology, Alcock explains, this is known as an illusory correlation: making connections between particular events that line up with our beliefs about the world. ...
[..]

Actually, the psychological term for selectively perceiving information that confirms our thoughts is confirmation bias. A conclusion drawn from such perceptions would be an illusory correlation - although the term attitude polarisation is more common.

[edit on 28-5-2009 by scraze]

Originally posted by Kaytagg

Nice find . I always enjoy a good article on why people behave as dumb as they do.

Yep. Helps me to keep my perspective anyway.

And thank you golemina for illustrating the premise rather admirably.

Oh my... An attempt at derision!



It's ALWAYS good to hear from a Darwinian Absurdist!

Well, since you seem to be picking up the gauntlet...

Why don't you enlighten us to which NEW species of fauna evolved from a parent species...

I must have missed that publication...



(As an aside... Do you think we'll be waiting long? )



[edit on 28-5-2009 by golemina]

Originally posted by scraze

Originally posted by soficrow
Once we believe something, whether it's truth or myth, we begin to see confirmation in the world around us. In psychology, Alcock explains, this is known as an illusory correlation: making connections between particular events that line up with our beliefs about the world. ...
[..]

Actually, ...

tsk tsk, scraze - you pull a quote from the article and attribute it to me.

Here's how it's supposed to look:

Originally posted by soficrow

Once we believe something, whether it's truth or myth, we begin to see confirmation in the world around us. In psychology, Alcock explains, this is known as an illusory correlation: making connections between particular events that line up with our beliefs about the world. ...

www.newsweek.com...

ed. to add:

Originally posted by golemina
(As an aside... Do you think we'll be waiting long?

)

Yep. I hit the "ignore" button. I just LOVE technology!





[edit on 28-5-2009 by soficrow]

reply to post by soficrow


Whoops, I see I mangled the quote block so it seems you said it. I didn't mean to address this to you, just point it out in general - thought you might enjoy the information . My apologies for the misformat, I hope you don't feel offended!

reply to post by scraze


I did misunderstand - but no offense taken.

Thanks for the clarification - and the info and links.

Yes! A brilliant display of Absurdism at it's very best.

reply to post by soficrow

Originally posted by golemina
(As an aside... Do you think we'll be waiting long? )

Yep. I hit the "ignore" button. I just LOVE technology!

Yes! If you can't stand the heat (or provide the name of ONE SINGLE NEW SPECIES. )... Get out of the kitchen.



Why don't we just call this episode... Waiting for Darwin?



Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

The disinformation techniques are really childish.

You have got to chuckle at the apparent inability of the typical reader to break thru the vernacular of how these particular sets of pigs was dressed to go to the prom...

The way the word 'NEVER' is used to bias the 'presentation' of the concepts our wannabe John Stossels SO gloriously liberate us from...

Almost as good as the labeling for the propaganda for the HPV vaccines for young girls...

May prevent... the cancer that may cause... that may... that could... might lead to...

[edit on 28-5-2009 by golemina]

I think the whole point is that just because something is believed to be true doesn't make it so. Which would also include processes or issues we profess as truth yet have very little true knowledge or understanding of. Not having proof or having little proof doesn't prove or deny anything. Except that we don't actually know everything. Perhaps yet, perhaps ever.

The fact that I've read several posts in this thread where people espouse an idea as absolute without there being complete knowledge of said idea only proves the point expressed in the OP. And yet people keep doing it.

And the beat goes on...

[edit on 28/5/09 by TravelerintheDark]

reply to post by golemina


Are you crazy?

Also, why are you using so many s in all your posts? Nothing anyone has said on this thread has been that funny.

Here's a link for you to read about evolution.

More recently, evidence for common descent has come from the study of biochemical similarities between organisms. For example, all living cells use the same basic set of nucleotides and amino acids. The development of molecular genetics has revealed the record of evolution left in organisms' genomes: dating when species diverged through the molecular clock produced by mutations. For example, these DNA sequence comparisons have revealed the close genetic similarity between humans and chimpanzees and shed light on when the common ancestor of these species existed.

Alternative theory: "Or god did it." /stops reading the thread now.

Originally posted by golemina

Why don't you enlighten us to which NEW species of fauna evolved from a parent species...

I must have missed that publication...

(As an aside... Do you think we'll be waiting long?

)



[edit on 28-5-2009 by golemina]

www.bioone.org...(2006)114%5B1:BRNSCC%5D2.0.CO%3B2

Blackburnia riparia, new species is described from the summit of Mt. Waialeale, Kauai, Hawaii, incorporated into a phylogenetic analysis of Blackburnia Sharp, and thereby placed as the adelphotaxon to two other allopatric Kauai species, B. lata Liebherr and B. atra Liebherr.

A person’s perception does tend to become their reality and most people simply seek out peers to validate that perception to create or become a part of a social grouping.

It’s hard to refute or discount the Original Poster’s suppositions when most people do gravitate alternately to polar extremes on perspective of certain issues even when they are in core agreement on the specific item of focus causing a differing perspective. Very often it is just the need then of an established social grouping to form in essence an often precisely determined adversarial perspective to give its own social grouping some collective take whose whole real underlining purpose is to then better define the group. Often in order to keep members of the group captive to it, often looking to recruit new members to the social grouping to enhance its stature and further validate that more politically defined perspective which then shapes the collective reality of its members.

I might see just a rock…while someone else proclaims “ah, but it’s not just a rock it’s…”, while yet another counters “oh, no, you are right it’s not just a rock but you are wrong because it’s really a…”

At that point it’s just about numbers, and recruiting, with the age old supposition the more people I can convince, the more powerful my social grouping becomes, the more correct it’s perspective becomes, and as economic, political stature and status is thus engendered in the group the less important it becomes that, it really is still just a rock.

This is probably why Robert Plan sang “To be a rock and not to roll”.

Though I am not sure? Sides anyone?

reply to post by Pauligirl


Blackburnia riparia...

Which EVOLVED from which (parent) species?

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


Amazing stuff Proto... you've just described Absurdism.

Often times comes off as mob rule... (they sometimes even use harsh words like calling you 'stupid' )

Those of us that fancy ourselves Scientists... Just go on the FACTS.

Say! Wasn't that the original reason that 'science' came into being... to counteract the absurdities of the Church?

ATS sure is educational.

Good story. I like how it points out patterns and things. If you know anything about sports, you see how people are all superstitious. Lets say for example in hockey you put your left skate on first, and win the game. A lot of times its like 'well if we won the game like that, i'll do everything the same' .of course it doesn't actually have an effect, but in our minds like the story said, we see patterns and things that work and don't work. Very interesting.

reply to post by Kaytagg

Are you crazy?

Sure! golem must be crazy.

Also, why are you using so many

s in all your posts? Nothing anyone has said on this thread has been that funny.

Au contraire mon vieux... This is SUPREMELY funny. (It kind of reminds me of a certain Monty Python bit.

Here's a link for you to read about evolution.

That is so kind of you to share the shiny picture book link (suitable for anyone's coffee table).

Sorry. The evolution model has NEVER come close to being substantiated.

You might consider getting off of your Absurdist soapbox and actually go out into the world.

You will (sadly for you ), find that Velikovsky shot down Darwin in flames more than 50 years ago...

And the (catastrophism) TRUTH is staring you in the face... Everywhere you go.

If you need any help putting together a list of sites to vist the unimaginable carnage... I'm here for you brother.

I ACHE to serve!