I found this information about Anecdotal evidence a while back, and was reminded of it when I read this line, "Unfortunately, seeing something or experiencing it is not proof enough to believe in it.", from another blog, Osmosis Online.
While I avoid blog wars, or even discussing blog entries, I was moved to comment on this. And, with this non-evidence-based-blog, I can! With little compunction about having to back everything up with those pesky facts. Opinions are so much easier, no research, not fact checking, no peer review, just whatever you make up you can say.
So the first thing I do when I read something that seems like nonsense, is put it into Google and see what else comes up. No surprise on this one, there isn't a single page with the entry "seeing something or experiencing it is not proof enough to believe in it". Not even the blog that it came from. (It can take time for Google to index a blog entry). Let's try, "seeing something is not proof enough to believe in it"
No hits there either. At this point, it is obvious somebody made that up. Not only is it just a made up phrase, it is an original one. In the entire data base of Google, nobody has ever said that.
It is obvious to me that it is patent nonsense, something that Wikipedia would reject with no discussion. It has no supporting publications of any kind, and just looking at the phrase is enough for a reasonable person to say it is nonsense.
It's worse than nonsense, because the purported reason for it is to try and dissuade the reader from believing something, encouraging them to be skeptical.
One reason for not engaging in blog wars on these things. With out attention, they quickly fade away.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
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