Anecdotal Evidence

[Guest guest]

Hi y'all,

 

Every time I read one of the pompous scientists or psydo-scientists on a

list talking about the need for scientific evidence of why this and that

EO does what we know it does .. or asking for scientific, double-blind

tested and peer-reviewed data on the safety for dermal use, I think of

the following writing.

 

If we accept the below, the wise doomsayers will be left standing out in

the cold with no groupies to fawn over their wealth of knowledge .. and

we can all relax a bit at not having to hear the cries of " Wolf .. Wolf "

every time someone asks a question about essential oils.

 

Y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

-------------------------

Raining Pianos: A Short Course on Anecdotal Evidence By Lenny Schafer

 

Patient: Doctor, my son has this terrible headache. He's dizzy and

he's been fainting a lot. He says his arm is numb.

 

Dr. Steinway: What happened?

 

Patient: We were walking down the street and a piano fell on his head.

 

Dr. Steinway: Anything else happen at the time that might have caused

this?

 

Patient: What do you mean, " anything else? " A PIANO FELL ON HIS HEAD!

 

Dr. Steinway: Perhaps, but that's only a temporal coincidence. Several

studies done by eminent scientists have failed to find a connection

between pianos and concussions. The cause could be any number of

environmental factors. Kids get bumped by stuff all the time. Not all

get concussions. Maybe your child has a genetically predisposed soft

skull. Any family history of concussions?

 

Patient: But I was there! I saw it falling from the second story of a

piano factory! I couldn't get him out of the way fast enough and he

caught a piece of the candelabra. If it's not the piano, what else

could it possibly be?

 

Dr. Steinway: Hysteria, guilt. What you're telling me is called

" anecdotal evidence " . Such evidence can be either evaluated for further

research, or completely dismissed as useless without even looking at it,

depending on the interests or bias of the researchers. The important

thing is that it isn't pianos .. hey wait, where are you going, we're

not through ...

 

Patient: I'm going to look for care somewhere else, and to see a lawyer

to sue the piano company .. and maybe even you.

 

Dr. Steinway: [to herself] Uh huh, lawyers. I thought someone might

have put her up to this. Lawyers .. taking advantage of ignorant

hysterics looking for something to blame for their woes. The problem is

not pianos, the problem is lack of tort reform .. she wouldn't even let

her kid have one of our complimentary " We're Silly for Eli Lilly " clinic

balloons!