Skeptic Check: Diluted Thinking
from Big Picture Science Hosted by Big Picture Science
The weaker the mixture, the stronger the potency. That paradox is a central tenet of homeopathy. More than 200 years old and developed long before germ theory, the practice is the fastest growing form of alternative medicine worldwide. Proponents say its diluted remedies cure disease. Most scientists maintain there’s nothing in homeopathic solution but water. We’ll hear the arguments, and also the role placebos might be playing in the cure. Plus, skeptic Phil Plait voyages to the edge of the solar system where a new planet has been discovered … maybe! And, consider our brains: the product of millions of years of evolution. So why aren’t we more consistent in our reasoning? It’s Skeptic Check…. but don’t take our word for it. Guests: • Iris Bell – Psychiatrist and researcher in alternative medicine at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine • Simon Singh – Science writer based in the U.K., author of Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine • Phil Plait – Astronomer, skeptic, and keeper of the web site badastronomy.com • Jim Underdown – Executive Director, Center for Inquiry, Los Angeles • Gordy Slack – Science writer and keeper of the neuroscience web site, "Brainstorm” • Robert Kurzban – Associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Why Everyone (Else) Is a Hypocrite: Evolution and the Modular Mind
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