I frequently check out the paranormal talk show Coast-to-Coast-AM to see who the guest is. 90% of the time it's someone I dismiss as a hack, charlatan, delusional personality, and so on; but 10% of the time it's a physicist, alternative doctor, or someone else I find worth listening to. And I always like to listen to the investigative reporter Linda M. Howe, who was on last night.
She reported on the seriousness of the H1N1 virus. And this didn't please the host, who thinks it's a government conspiracy. Their argument revealed exactly what is wrong with C2C: data doesn't mean anything. The host has no concept of what science is, or of what epistemology (which asks, How do you know what you know?) is. A conspiracy is a conspiracy and nothing will change his mind. Now I happen to believe in a few conspiracies myself because I think the data leads there: JFK assassination, Roswell. But you have to have credible evidence for your conclusions, and Howe patiently but completely destroyed the guy's irrational argument.
Alas, she is rare on the show.
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