Author Archives: Fallacy Man

Training to be a scientist: It’s not an indoctrination and it’s more than just reading

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Fallacy Man

Many people seem to have some rather strange preconceptions about how higher education in science works. I often encounter people who insist that graduate school “indoctrinates” students, robs them of creativity, and “brainwashes” them to “blindly accept scientific dogma.” Further, … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature of Science | 13 Comments

If vaccines are a scam to make money, why don’t we routinely vaccinate for diseases like cholera?

Posted on December 29, 2017 by Fallacy Man

Anti-vaccers insist that vaccines are simply a scam by big companies who don’t mind poisoning children in the name of profit. They insist that vaccines are dangerous/unnecessary and doctors and health agencies only “push” them because those doctors and agencies … Continue reading →

Posted in Vaccines/Alternative Medicine | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Parents often don’t know what is best

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Fallacy Man

When dealing with anti-vaccers and other believers in woo, I often encounter indignant parents who, when faced with evidence and arguments that are contrary to their views, respond with, “well as a parent, only I know what is best for … Continue reading →

Posted in Vaccines/Alternative Medicine | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

If anecdotes are evidence, why aren’t you drinking paint thinner?

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Fallacy Man

I want to begin this post by doing something atypical for me. I want to tell you about an amazing cure-all that I that was recently introduced to: turpentine (aka paint thinner). According to the vast wealth of knowledge available … Continue reading →

Posted in Vaccines/Alternative Medicine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Facts aren’t political (or religious)

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Fallacy Man

On this blog/Facebook page, I try very hard to stick to scientific facts and avoid discussing politics. Nevertheless, I am frequently accused of being political, even when I am simply reporting a fact. For example, I often post facts about … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments