Monday, November 21, 2005

More on Homeopathic Healing

EoR thought he had a very good understanding of how homeopathy 'works' but was enlightened by Homeopathic Medicines.

There's the vital force again:

The vital force is a type of energy which permeates everything, it is found in abundant quantities in the air and in water. Because this is a force, like gravity, it has certain properties. And like gravity is it just as "physical".


Yes, when I drop a brick it falls on my foot and hurts me. When I drop a heavy amount of vital force, anything could happen.

Maybe the homeopaths have vitalforceometers?

If it permeates everything, why does it only adhere to water? Why is it only one-way? Shouldn't the 'memories' in the water leak out and affect the curative substance the homeopath is hopefully waving about? Maybe those curative substances are becoming more water-like, and not the other way around? EoR's mind starts to spin.

EoR also knew that desperate homeopaths were drawn to all sorts of arcane and offensive materials for their materia medica, but

There are a number of sources that homeopathic medicines can use to obtain the original substance in the production of a medicine. [...] Imponderablia. These are energy sources such as x-rays, sunlight, moonlight, and other radiations.


Does anyone seriously believe this? Homeopathic remedies made from sunshine? Pauses momentarily to shake a drop of sunshine and and a swimming pool full of water together. And how does the homeopath mysteriously separate the sunshine from the 'other radiations' passing through it? In fact, every homeopathic remedy should have such a profusion of substances interfering with it (let alone the homeopath's breath, deposits of skin and other material from his hands, bacteria in the air, fly faeces etc etc) that the mind boggles at the combinations. When extended to homeopathic potencies it's a wonder the universe doesn't explode.

In response to a critic, Paul argues that

Water in the ‘wild’ is a lot different to the homeopathic water/alcohol solution. The homeopathic medicine has been succussed as well as diluted, plus there is only one medicinal substance in the water. Hence, there are no contaminating factors. [...] It would be great to have good equipment to measure this vital force to know for sure.


Water in the 'wild'? Sounds dangerous to me. 'Succussion' (from the noun 'Sucker' hence, Succussion: to fool the suckers) involves hitting the homeopathic solution against a leather bound book. Not a paperback (water knows you're using a cheap substitute, and won't play with you in that case). All homeopathic 'remedies', as argued above, have a multitude of contaminating factors. And that last sentence sounds almost like an admission of defeat.

Paul then gets himself in more knots arguing why 'wild' water is not 'succussed'. EoR won't bother insulting your intelligence by repeating it here.

Conclusion: homeopathy doesn't hold water.

2 comments:

  1. "If it permeates everything, why does it only adhere to water? Why is it only one-way? Shouldn't the 'memories' in the water leak out and affect the curative substance the homeopath is hopefully waving about? Maybe those curative substances are becoming more water-like, and not the other way around? EoR's mind starts to spin."


    A "spinning" mind is good..:)
    A static one is not.

    So you don't understand.

    ???

    Do you seriously pretend to understand everything - or at least most things - in this world?

    Personally I don't find it difficult - not one bit - to repeat after Socrates: I only know that I know nothing". Indeed, I find it liberating.

    Try it some time.
    You might like it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. EoR has never claimed to understand everything. Where did you get that strange idea from? He was simply pointing out that the statement was logically fallacious and impossible. The very effects claimed would negate any effect.

    Logic provides a tool to utilise when we encounter that which we do not understand.

    EoR is also glad that you are happy in your ignorance. He suspects you will be blissful and joyous throughout your life.

    ReplyDelete

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