(September 23, 2016 at 9:08 am)mcolafson Wrote:(September 23, 2016 at 8:54 am)Esquilax Wrote: I feel like the fact that you don't know how it helps people, such that you could just point to that and not have to ask that question, precludes it from being science right off the bat.
Scientists tend to, you know, require an understanding of the mechanism behind what's happening, before they'll accept that something is happening.
O.k.
let's say it is year 1825 anno domini, your name is Robert Brown and you are watching a phenomenon that they will later call Brownian motion. You cannot determine the mechanisms that cause this motion. Does it mean that the particles are not moving? Maybe you had too much drink and you are hallucinating?
You are correct and Esq is wrong on this. Science does not need to understand the mechanism to accept that it is happening. It does have to be repeatable, demonstrable, etc, though.
That being said, scientist usually seek the mechanism, and in this case it has been determined that the few people who experience benefits from acupuncture are experiencing Placebo effect.
And the answer to what studies? Every single respected study. And many have been done. Many.
Acupuncture is a Theatrical Placebo
“Eternity is a terrible thought. I mean, where's it going to end?”
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
