• Law

    The Illusion of Proof: Confirmation bias and the Lucy Letby Case

    Conspiracy theorists fall victim to a fundamental misunderstanding of how to evaluate and synthesise evidence. It’s not that they believe despite a lack of evidence, but rather that they fail to recognise how the evidence they possess is insufficient to support their improbable claims about the world. While conspiracy theorists actively seek out evidence, their first error is confirmation bias – the tendency to search for information that supports their theory, while disregarding or swiftly dismissing counterarguments. They accumulate a collection of facts that align with their beliefs, relying on the sheer volume of evidence to convince themselves that they [read more...]
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Should Cochrane Call for More Research Into Homeopathy?

by Andy L in featured 14

The Cochrane Collaboration is an independent network of volunteers, funded only by donations, that collate systematic reviews of the evidence base for healthcare interventions. You can go online and view for yourself the current best thinking on how effective various treatments are. It is an important resource. (And you can [read more...]
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The Vets Who Make People Feel Better

by Andy L in featured 43

Some years ago, a well meaning but utterly deluded friend gave me a book entitled Natural Remedies For Your Cat by Christopher Day. It is a slightly disturbing tome that appears to recommend homeopathic remedies for pretty much everything – from fleas to gunshot wounds. Rational cat lovers might find [read more...]

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