Should we maintain an open mind about homeopathy?

[Blue Wode]

That's the title of a new paper by Edzard Ernst and Michael Baum (Am J Med. 2009 Nov;122(11):973-4).

Should we keep an open mind about astrology, perpetual motion, alchemy, alien abduction, and sightings of Elvis Presley? No, and we are happy to confess that our minds have closed down on homeopathy in the same way. Here's why:

Read on...
http://www.amjmed.com/article/PIIS0002934309005336/fulltext

Enjoy!

 

[Subduction Zone]

Good article, and nice misleading title. I thought this was going to be one of those annoying posts trying to drum up some sort of support for that pathetic "science".

 

[Eos of the Eons]

What the heck is there to be "open minded" about? IT IS WATER with some alchohol thrown in for effect in the fluid products. The pills are just SUGAR with a drop of water once supposedly dropped onto it.

They have some good reasons not to, but they could sure flesh a few of those out for that article.

 

[jasonpatterson]

It depends on what you mean by being open minded about these things. Should any skeptic remain open minded about ridiculous stuff like homeopathy? Of course we should, it's just that being open minded doesn't mean blind belief in them, instead it means that we should be willing to accept evidence of a phenomenon and be open to the possibility, however remote, that we are wrong.

A good video on the topic:


I'm not saying, even a tiny little bit, that I think that homeopathy will ever be shown to have any effect beyond whatever a nice drink of water with a touch of alcohol or sugar might give.