Dr Smart says "Everything else is just opinion and anecdotes which will never actually affect change"

Dr Ash responds "First I would suggest to Mr Smart that casual observation (quite often by non science folks) does drive a lot of research.  Apitherapy comes to mind here but of course after the casual observation it may well take science decades to determine how things function."

I would suggest that for every casual observation that ultimately proves correct there are likely 100 or more casual observations that fail totally when measured.  Anecdotal stuff is a starting point but no more than a starting point.  Most that prove harmless are simply placebos.  Many do not prove harmless.  Many in fact are downright dangerous to good health.  We have a multi billion $/yr industry devoted to placebos and harmful practices based on anecdotes.  It is called dietary supplements.

Dick


" Any discovery made by the human mind can be explained in its essentials to the curious learner."  Professor Benjamin Schumacher talking about teaching quantum mechanics to non scientists.   "For every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong."  H. L. Mencken

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