Brain Scans and Psychics

[SidDithers]

http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/brain-scans-and-psychics/

In a trifecta of pseudoscience, Dr. Oz calls upon Dr. Amen to demonstrate (live on TV) how the Long Island Medium is real.

Where do I begin?

Dr. Oz has long ago abandoned any scientific legitimacy, not to mention self-respect. He has gone from giving basic medical advice, to promoting alternative quackery, and now he is just another daytime TV sellout, gushing over psychics. With Dr. Oz, however, it is all done with a patina of science.

snip

Let me rephrase that – bullshit pseudoscience has declared many things real that legitimate science indicates probably are not real.

To summarize – Dr. Oz, acting in his role as chief promoter of pseudoscience on daytime television, calls upon a pseudoscientist to abuse a noisy brain scanning test to certify that a fake psychic is real. Oz gushes, and is a skeptic no more.

Read the blog entry at the link for the full, mind-numbing stupidity of what happened. Dr. Oz has ably stepped into Oprah's shoes, as the biggest promoter of woo on television. Sad that he used to be a respected doctor.

Sid

[greytdemocrat]

1. My wife loves Dr. Oz

But I leave the room if she has him on. Might as
well have on The Price is Right...

[longship]

2. A big R&K for Steve Novella.

Fighting woo-woo every day.

I don't know where he gets the energy to do it all, let alone the time.

I read this the other day when Steve posted it. It's a good one.

[CanSocDem]

3. A no-name blogger...

...finds fault with Dr. Oz. and the Long Island Medium??? Well that's it. I'm convinced.


.

[SidDithers]

4. Steven Novella, MD, Associates Professor, Yale School of Medicine...

http://medicine.yale.edu/neurology/people/steven_novella.profile

Biographical Info

Dr. Novella is dedicated to excellence in education of both professionals and patients. He is the editor of Science-Based Medicine - a website dedicated to exploring issues of science in medicine.

His practice includes general neurology with a special interest in neuromuscular disease. His research interests include ALS, myasthenia gravis, neuropathy, and erythromelalgia.


Education & Training

M.D. - Georgetown University (1991)
Resident - Yale-New Haven Hospital, Neurology
Fellow - Yale School of Medicine, Neurology
Board Certification - Neurology, Board Certified (1998)

You were saying?

Sid

[CanSocDem]

5. Should I be impressed...???

I would be if he wasn't a highly paid advocate of the medical industry. As is, he is just protecting his turf. Simple analysis works for people like you who thought they learned all they needed to know in a high school science class. It doesn't work for me because I know what the medical industry is really about. They should shut up about things they know nothing about.


.

[SidDithers]

6. "I know what the medical industry is really about."...

And I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Sid

[roguevalley]

7. thank you, cansocdem.

[zappaman]

9. Bwhahahahahahaahaha!

Funniest post of the year!
You got in right under the wire!
How will you top it next year?

[etherealtruth]

11. They should shut up about things they know nothing about.

Yes, folk really "should shut up about things they know nothing about"

[sagat]

14. Wow.

[ryan_cats]

8. He's a kook

He's a kook, I clicked on him the other day and he had a reflexology kook on. Who knew that massaging certain areas of the feet helps internal organs.

[etherealtruth]

12. I don't even think he (if referring to Oz) is a kook

He's a pandering entertainer now ... not functioning in the role of a physician.

(though, I admit I may be wrong ... he may be a kook and a pandering entertainer aka charlatan)

[etherealtruth]

10. I am hoping no one will actually defend psychics

... but, I am "kinda" afraid they will

[sagat]

13. Dr. Oz is a douchebag.