I know that in your limited capacity to understand you're actually struggling with this, but what works is actually determined by study, not just pointing out what is popular.
I for one, have learned nothing from this thread about how homeopaths think homeopathy works. Still wondering if anybody knows. There are countless people who are willing to take your money. If you offer something that makes them feel better, they will pay for it. Feeling better may not even mean physically feeling better, it could simply mean feeling better about the fact that you can tell your friends at book club that you are taking the latest trendy thing, ie feeling emotionally feeling better. Placebo effect is free. People who charge for it are predators.
Homeopaths don't know how homeopathy "works" and they will freely admit this to each other when they think nobody else is listening. In their marketing they tend to talk vaguely about how homeopathy "stimulates your innate healing powers by addressing underlying causes, rather than suppressing symptoms from without as most conventional pharmaceuticals do...homeopathic remedies gently give the body a nudge so healing may be completed. HOMEOPATHY aims to stimulate and strengthen the immune system, thereby helping the bodys natural tendency to heal itself...", etc, etc, etc. This kind of woolly statement appears on virtually every homeopath's website I've ever seen. Obviously, it gives no explanation of how homeopathy 'stimulates innate healing powers' but it's the kind of statement that is enough to persuade people with poor critical thinking skills to part with their money and that's all that matters.
I'm guessing they dont care how it works if they believe it works. Acupuncture seems to work as well but no-one has any evidence of meridians etc.
I suppose its not different than any retailer hawking whatever the latest expensive unecessary thing is. Buyer beware.
Exactly. And in the UK, at least, there are regulations governing what claims can and can't be made in marketing. Most advertisers are happy to abide by the rules but promoters of alternative medicines are proving the exception, for some reason.
This is true, however I do recognize its a grey area. For example I am allowed to claim that the Bowflex can make you ripped in 2 months with a daily 20 minute workout. However I suspect that under 0.1% of people actually achieve this. So is it false advertising? Tough to say.
I know that. My question was How do you think Homeopaths think Homeopathy works? Man, you're really obsessed with Homeopathy. Did you answer on my other thread why Homeopathy irks people like you more than other "snake oil" medicines?
Oh, sorry, I thought it was obvious that homeopaths think it works by magic. 200 hundreds of homeopathy and they haven't actually got any further than that. Of course, if they had the capacity to really think i.e.reason intelligently, they wouldn't have become homeopaths in the first place LOL! I love how apologists for altmed always descend into petty insults sooner or later - usually sooner. Skeptics are repeatedly told that they are closed-minded and ignorant when they challenge homeopathy. But when one is open-minded and takes the trouble to actually research a subject and report on their findings, they're called "obsessed". Nice one. Well, seeing as it's your thread, I'm surprised you need to ask. Why start a thread if you're not going to bother reading all the responses? My first response is back on page 19. Here let me help you: Skepticat's response on Suede's other thread.
No grey area about this typical UK homeopath's website, which is a pack of lies from start to finish.
Which is an inane question. You are asking us to read homeopaths' minds to answer that question. Why don't you, as a homeopath supporter, tell us how homeopaths think homeopathy works?
Love that, insult then complain about insults! Not only have I seen a lot of closed-mindedness from you skeptics, I've seen a lot of bad readers too. So what does this mean on your little blog: * chiropractic (9) * homeopathy (18) Now I remember, you where one of the few brave enough to admit Homeopathy irks you more than other altmeds. Why do you think all the other skeptics pansy'd out to admit that?
If I thought you'd have to read homeopaths' minds to know, I'd agree it would be an inane question. Surprises me about how obsessed you guys are with homeopathy, yet you've never read the leading theories of how Homeopaths think Homeopathy works. Furthers my belief that Homeopathy detractors are terrible readers. There's just been so much evidence to support that.
I'll play your little game, however, I expect an answer from you on my rival thread. I also don't want the below nitpicked, as it's just a quick view. Nitpick in detail on the other thread. Here is my basic view of how homeopaths think homeopathy works: The basic treatments are of dilute solutions of substances that are similar to whatever is causing the problem, the principle of "like treats like." When those solutions are made (by multiple dilutions), the "vital force" of the substance gets imbued into the solution. That vital force is what fixes the problem by getting the body to react and solve it.
I don't doubt it. But I guess my point is....so is the Bowflex ad, but they are allowed to hawk that concept. Unless they make definition claims of it 'will' do something or other, its tough to say. Are they claiming such, or just things like it 'may' do such and such.
Don't call people terrible, bad readers, ect.....just explain how homeopathy works. It you could do this, or if anybody could do this, the problem would go away and you wouldn't have to get mad at people for not just believing in non-explanations. There has to be a real, understandable mechanism which can be communicated. If there is not, its no different than any explanation any person can invent. Please note that just because plenty of other people are offering nothing for money, does not justify it. Obsession with finding answers is a good thing. I'm glad people are obsessed with getting an actual explanation. It benefits everybody, especially the patient. That's how the scientific method works...remaining unsatisfied until an answer is reached.