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| Thread ID: 50673 | 2004-10-28 10:27:00 | OT about magnets | paradox (1082) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 285732 | 2004-10-29 01:44:00 | You know, my ancient mother has an extremely vivid imagination, maybe that's why I try to be the extreme opposite, I've been fighting the genes all my life :) As an example of belief, she is absolutely adamant that once she stood at the end of the rainbow, and with a dramatic wave of her arms, will describe the colours 'all around' her. No amount of saying that this is not physically possible will change that false memory. Another example of false belief was the technical director of a bearings firm in the UK where I was technical manager. Colin was always so up in the clouds that it was difficult to grab his ankles to bring him down to earth. He was obsessed with a material called silicon nitride, which he was certain was the material to use in the manufacture of air bearings. He imagined and described the surface of this material as turning to a glassy state after any light contact rubbing. Gradually in his mind it became a wonder material and the coeficient of friction against hardened stainless steel gradually fell in the story telling from about 0.2 it's real value, to an imaginary value of 0.001. It was most embarrasing to hear him get up at a bearings conference and repeat this falsehood in which he firmly believed. We hear the same sort of crap from people who firmly believe they have been abducted by aliens, believe in Bermuda Triangles, then we have similar nonsenses about the 'power of crystals', copper bracelets, and so it goes on and on. Let's get back to computing :D |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 285733 | 2004-10-29 01:49:00 | Of course there are problems with that too, Terry. There are people (I've even met some) who believe output from computers. :D | Graham L (2) | ||
| 285734 | 2004-10-29 01:59:00 | P.S. The classic book is Extraordinary Popular delusions and the Madness of Crowds, by Charles Mackay (1841). There are modern printings (my copy is a paperbook from Wordsworth), or "mackay delusions" to Google finds an online version. Chapter 7 is about the magnetisers. |
Graham L (2) | ||
| 285735 | 2004-10-29 02:15:00 | >>There are people (I've even met some) who believe output from computers . The larger the number of decimal places the greater the belief! |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 285736 | 2004-10-29 03:34:00 | > We hear the same sort of crap from people who firmly > believe they have been abducted by aliens, believe in > Bermuda Triangles, Odd you should mention triangles. See www.msnbc.msn.com All sorts of sceptical folks seem to have seen them. |
TonyF (246) | ||
| 285737 | 2004-10-29 04:06:00 | From article by Laurance Johnston, Ph . D . Quote: "Examples of life’s magnetic nature are now plentiful . Many creatures, such as homing pigeons, butterflies, and bees navigate using Earth’s magnetic field . Even humans can roughly sense magnetic direction . These abilities, in part, appear to be mediated through a magnetic substance called magnetite, which has been discovered in the tissue, including the human brain, of many living things . Researchers have found magnetite clusters near the brain’s all-important, magnetically sensitive pineal gland, which secretes hormones affecting the entire body . Not only are we affected by magnetic fields but we also generate them . For example, scientists can measure the brain and heart’s magnetic fields with instruments called the magnetoencephalograph and magnetocardiogram, respectively . " end quote . Therefore the body's magnetic fields could in some way be affected by another magnetic field, although what the result would be who knows . In our bodies potassium and sodium play a role in how much fluid is in the cells . Too much sodium draws fluid into the cells, but balanced with potassium excess fluid is drawn out of the cells . Maybe magnets are able to draw excess fluid away from inflamed sore areas thus giving release from the tightness/pressure/pain . I think that if scientists can't prove beyond all doubt that magnetic therapy does not have an effect on the body, they should keep to what they know best . Eg . sorting out exactly how much Botox you give to a cerebral palsy child to lessen excess saliva without paralysing the child's ability to swallow . We all hear of their successes but none of their failures which are kept out of sight . Until a couple of years ago I had a lot to do with health care and cared for many people who were on medicines that were being taken to stop all the side effects of the pill which was "supposed'" to be helping them . I'm not saying all alternative medicine is the way to go, but by God, I wouldn't trust the scientific community at all . The drug company's now direct what is right and wrong not through trials, but through money and greasing up to the Health ministers . Well thats my personal opinion anyway . |
pulling hair out (4493) | ||
| 285738 | 2004-10-29 04:08:00 | It must be true because it is reported on The Net! Eben Byers was the man who drank thorium until he died from it, he was a golfer and industrialist, not a tennis player, read about him here (http://eben-byers.wikiverse.org/) This is taken from the Scientific American where I first read about him. This (www.popsci.com) is another interesting article, good for a laugh, about quack radiation medicines that also mention Eben Byers. |
Terry Porritt (14) | ||
| 285739 | 2004-10-29 04:18:00 | There's a well known rule: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence". I don't have to prove that magnetic therapy has no effect. Those who wish to make large profits by selling "alternative therapies" should be required to prove (by proper double-blind tests) that the alleged effects actually happen. DC fields can't affect sodium or potassium transport. Sodium and potassium don't occur in metallic form in the human body anyway. :D A very good rule: "Don't trust authors who put a large PhD after their names." :D There's a very good book by Richard Dawkins : A Devil's Chaplain which has some very good thoughts on irrational beliefs. |
Graham L (2) | ||
| 285740 | 2004-10-29 04:24:00 | > I think that if scientists can't prove beyond all > doubt that magnetic therapy does not have an effect > on the body, they should keep to what they know best. That's a perfectly reasonable statement. The fact that scientists have proved beyond doubt that magnetic therapy doesn't work, makes your comment kinda ridiculous. Conversly, if the ludicrous claims of the quacks had any grain of truth in them, then the onus is on them to prove it does work. Quoting from one quack source sure isn't even an indication that magnetic therapy isn't snake oil. You just have to put a little logic into your thoughts... who are the most ardent supporters of quack treatments? The providers and sellers that profit from gullible people - the sort that get taken in by Nigerian scammers. Endorsing or promoting the untruths in these treatments makes you as bad as the rip-off merchants that steal money from the unwary or stupid. |
Greg S (201) | ||
| 285741 | 2004-10-29 04:26:00 | At the end of the day scientists don't know ****,and half of they do know is proved wrong a year later. The pool of human knowledge is tiny,and full of best guesses ,wild ideas and mistakes that cost large numbers of lives. |
metla (154) | ||
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