Thursday 10 July 2008

Give it a rest, will you...

Dear Sir/Madam

Recently, I have been engaged in a correspondence with the Law and Ethics division of the RPSGB. Their refusal to answer a simple question is quite worrying, really. The question is

"Does the RPSGB think that homeopathy is an effective treatment"?

Perhaps you could let me know the thoughts of the RPSGB on this.

Yours.


Dai Harder.

I really should find a new hobby, but it's such an easy target. Anyway, the above email was sent to the Welsh, Scottish, General Enquiries, Jeremy Holmes, Head of Policy Development, and the Science departments of the RPSGB. I await their reply with interest. My predictions:

WELSH: Thank you for your email, blah blah blah blah, meaningless fucking guff.

SCOTTISH: As above.

GENERAL ENQUIRIES: Hey, why don't you look at our fantastic homeopathic fact sheet that's out fo date and written by a practicing homeopath!

JEREMY: What the hell is this science crap? What the hell am I doing here? I don't understand any of this? I know, let's produce a meaningless glossy insert reminiscent of Pravda. That will fix everything.

SCIENCE: It's a load of shite no better than placebo. *


* Unfortunately, I don't really think this will be the response.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Beksinski paintings are interesting!

Anonymous said...

Call me paranoid, but I hope you're doing everything through a proxy server, from a nonsense email account, under a pseusonym of an anagram of 'Brigadier Patrick Fetchworth-Biggende (Mrs)(Retired)'

...then again the RPSGB can't even organise a press-release properly, so identifying you, tracking you down and hauling you over the coals is probably overestimating their competancy a bit.

Anonymous said...

"Call me paranoid, but I hope you're doing everything through a proxy server, from a nonsense email account, under a pseusonym of an anagram of 'Brigadier Patrick Fetchworth-Biggende (Mrs)(Retired)'"

No reason why I should be. Not my fault the RPSGB are useless at science, and prefer magic.

Anonymous said...

I presume you consider homeopathy is not science. Maybe, but maybe not – consider;
the physics/maths. of the effects (such as gravity) are understood, but the ‘why’ or cause does not seem to be. By this I mean why are there such effects such as gravity, forces, electrical considerations etc. Gravity/mass etc. is an effect of an unknown cause. The original cause may have given different effects – maybe. Why not? – no I don’t have an answer.

The observer detects the known or anticipated effects. The observed universe is probably NOT the real Universe. The Ancient Greeks/civilisations would not have known about X-rays, gamma rays and other effects so no attempt would have been made to detect these unknowns. As with the older civilisations, the modern is as yet probably unaware of undiscovered unknown effects. There remains a blindness, but there is the art to wonder, to imagine the creative/creativity. What maybe a description of the reality may not be the reality at all.

Hence regarding homeopathy there may be effects in some individuals that are apparently real to the observer but current understanding of science cannot recognise this as the detection tools are not available – indeed have not been developed – the science of the recognition may at present be impossible. Science and such methodology surely does not know everything – surely so by definition – there is a need for sceptism but also there has to be a place to logically explore all possibilities even if they are not ‘seen’ – at least be open minded.

Anonymous said...

Sorry - spelling mistake -'scepticism'

Anonymous said...

"at least be open minded."

Produce a decent trial that shows that homeopathy works then.

Unless of course this is another wind up, in which case I would like to say that Pontypridd suck.

Anonymous said...

na wasnt me boss, recon it could be one of those 'believers'

PB

Anonymous said...

and i've never known PB to correct his spelling... he's blissfully aware he can't spell!

CG

Anonymous said...

i second that!
PB