Plasmon comments on A few questions on International Rationality - Less Wrong

15 Post author: Locke 30 April 2012 10:27PM

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Comment author: aelephant 01 May 2012 01:19:42AM 14 points [-]

As someone living in China, I feel pretty confident saying that most Chinese are not skeptical or interested in rationality. Even "Science" in China is deficient. We think we have a problem with publication bias in the West; I heard a terrifying statistic that there are ZERO negative studies published in the field of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). And while the country is atheist, huge numbers of people still go the Buddhist temples, bang their heads on the ground and worship statues with blue skin.

Comment author: Plasmon 01 May 2012 11:11:36AM 2 points [-]

the field of TCM

This nature article on TCM shows a similar lack of scepticism.

Comment author: aelephant 02 May 2012 12:28:03AM 4 points [-]

From the article you linked:

Within Asia, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the system with the longest history. TCM was developed through thousands of years of empirical testing and refinement.

I cringed. Not only do I question what they are calling "empirical testing" but this Time Fallacy (I don't know what else to call it, perhaps there is a better name) is everywhere in China. "Well, we've been doing it the wrong way for over 2000 years so it must be the right way!"

No, actually if you tell me 2+2=5 for 6 billion years, you will still be wrong and 2+2 will still equal 4.

The Economist recently had a much better, much more skeptical piece on TCM:

Medicine & its rivals

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 02 May 2012 03:33:38AM 3 points [-]

No, actually if you tell me 2+2=5 for 6 billion years, you will still be wrong and 2+2 will still equal 4.

Except the belief that 2+2=5 isn't going to survive for 6 billion years.