Summary
Chiropractors make numerous claims about their ability to treat symptoms by a method called chiropractic subluxation (not to be confused with medical subluxation with is visible in x-rays). A group of chiropractors has shown that the work of chiropractors provides no benefit over physical therapy.
Commentary
Like homeopathic remedies (a rant for another day), many have suggested that sublaxation is ineffective. Simon Singh was sued for libel for writing an article highlighting the ineffectiveness of chiropractors (the UK has "interesting" libel laws).
However, Harriet Hall, of the Science-Based Medicine blog, suggests that the "death knell" of chiropractic may have been rung. It is one thing for members of a profession to be introspective; it is another for them systematically refute the entire basis of their own profession. In the study they published, the chiropractors used a standard method for establishing causation known as Hill's Criteria. The criteria show the possibility of a causal relationship; not that it definitely exists. Yet, subluxation fails to satisfy any of the criteria. Sounds pretty bad for a field that's existed for 114 years.
Meta
What other professions should apply similar systematic rigor to their claims?
See Also
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Fear of Spiders and Snakes
Summary
Fear is an important part of how we make decisions. Everything from selecting car seats for our children to our policy decisions.
Commentary
Fear of snakes and spiders is relatively common (among humans). And thanks to shows like Fear Factor, we can all watch others try to overcome these primal fears from the comfort of our homes.
However, there is reason to believe that these fears are not strictly rooted in genetics (nature), but are learned (nurture). Yet, a recent study does show the role that nature might play, particularly for females, in facilitating fearful associations for certain things such as spiders and snakes.
In Does women's greater fear of snakes and spiders originate in infancy? David Rakison extends results from previous studies (done on adults) on the rapid association between fear and snakes and spiders (as opposed to mushrooms and flowers) to infants only 11 months old. The results show that infant girls learn the association between fearful facial expressions and fearful stimuli (snake, spider) more quickly than do boys. There was no similar distinction between non-fearful stimuli (mushroom, flower). The resulting hypothesis, then, is that certain types of fears are the products of evolutionary psychology.
Meta
What steps have you taken to mitigate a fear you've had? Were you successful?
Fear is an important part of how we make decisions. Everything from selecting car seats for our children to our policy decisions.
Commentary
Fear of snakes and spiders is relatively common (among humans). And thanks to shows like Fear Factor, we can all watch others try to overcome these primal fears from the comfort of our homes.
However, there is reason to believe that these fears are not strictly rooted in genetics (nature), but are learned (nurture). Yet, a recent study does show the role that nature might play, particularly for females, in facilitating fearful associations for certain things such as spiders and snakes.
In Does women's greater fear of snakes and spiders originate in infancy? David Rakison extends results from previous studies (done on adults) on the rapid association between fear and snakes and spiders (as opposed to mushrooms and flowers) to infants only 11 months old. The results show that infant girls learn the association between fearful facial expressions and fearful stimuli (snake, spider) more quickly than do boys. There was no similar distinction between non-fearful stimuli (mushroom, flower). The resulting hypothesis, then, is that certain types of fears are the products of evolutionary psychology.
Meta
What steps have you taken to mitigate a fear you've had? Were you successful?
Friday, December 18, 2009
Punctuation Marks
Summary
Punctuation marks help us understand written text. Incorrectly used punctuation, however, can result in serious consequences or humor.
Commentary
I remember once getting a lesson on the importance of commas:
Occasionally, someone tries to invent a new punctuation mark, but they are rarely successful. A notable exception was the invention of the emoticon that now pervade informal written communication (of the typed, but not handwritten, variety). Emoticons were first proposed by Scott Fahlman on September 19th, 1982. The number and types of emoticons has grown to the point where they may be considered a form of micro-ASCII art.
Recently, there was an attempt to re-purpose the interrobang to represent a unit of levels of abstraction based on the very large, but mostly irrelevant, Cuil search engine.
Fun fact: The Metaist logo uses the because and therefore punctuation symbols from logic and math.
Meta
When have punctuation marks helped or harmed you?
See Also
Punctuation marks help us understand written text. Incorrectly used punctuation, however, can result in serious consequences or humor.
Commentary
I remember once getting a lesson on the importance of commas:
Russian Tsars would issue verdicts by placing a single comma in pre-written papers that said "Death forbidden pardon."And so, I was told, a single comma could save your life. There has been a resurgence in the life-saving virtue of the comma. Jest aside, a few years ago Canada saw a $2 million dollar comma dispute.
Guilty: "Death, forbidden pardon."
Not-guilty: "Death forbidden, pardon."
Occasionally, someone tries to invent a new punctuation mark, but they are rarely successful. A notable exception was the invention of the emoticon that now pervade informal written communication (of the typed, but not handwritten, variety). Emoticons were first proposed by Scott Fahlman on September 19th, 1982. The number and types of emoticons has grown to the point where they may be considered a form of micro-ASCII art.
Recently, there was an attempt to re-purpose the interrobang to represent a unit of levels of abstraction based on the very large, but mostly irrelevant, Cuil search engine.
Fun fact: The Metaist logo uses the because and therefore punctuation symbols from logic and math.
Meta
When have punctuation marks helped or harmed you?
See Also
- The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks
- David Malki ! and his use of an exclamation point as an honorific.
- How to Use an Apostrophe for illustrated directions on the use of apostrophes.
- Wikipedia article on Punctuation Marks.
(There are so many of which I've never heard!)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Steampunk
Definition
Steampunk is a genre of science fiction that imagines what the world would be like if Victorian steam-powered technology persisted into the modern era. It also refers to a visual style commonly associated with the late 18th to early 19th century as applied in a modern context.
Commentary
While I've never read any of the zombie-enhanced literature, I do appreciate the resurgence of interest in 19th-century, albeit with a darker twist.
At its core, steampunk represents a culture of anachronism that is part of the cyberpunk speculative fiction genre. I should note that this is similar to, but distinct from, the activities endorsed by the Society for Creative Anachronism which targets pre-17th century Europe.
See Also
Steampunk is a genre of science fiction that imagines what the world would be like if Victorian steam-powered technology persisted into the modern era. It also refers to a visual style commonly associated with the late 18th to early 19th century as applied in a modern context.
Commentary
While I've never read any of the zombie-enhanced literature, I do appreciate the resurgence of interest in 19th-century, albeit with a darker twist.
At its core, steampunk represents a culture of anachronism that is part of the cyberpunk speculative fiction genre. I should note that this is similar to, but distinct from, the activities endorsed by the Society for Creative Anachronism which targets pre-17th century Europe.
See Also
- Wondermark, an interesting comic that splices Victorian-era comics to discuss modern issues.
- Steampunk Falt-panel LCD for examples of the lengths to which people go to encase modern technology in brass.
- Information about the actual Victorian era (the one that really happened).
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Gambling & Insurance Policies
Summary
Taking risks is part of everyday life. For the most part, people are good at dealing with risks with which they are familiar. Certain types of risks, however, when "intuitively" processed, lead to suboptimal behaviors.
Commentary
Schneier writes about risk a lot: our intuitions about, overreactions to, and essential need for risk. The most common failures of our risk intuition stem from cognitive biases related to rare, unknown, or voluntary risks.
In general, we tend to think that people are risk averse. But sometimes people seem to seek out risks-- such as playing the lottery. Why? A possible explanation is the framing effect. Consider the following case. You can have one of the following applied to your order:
Now imagine there's probability thrown in for good measure. Which of the following sounds like a better insurance sales pitch:
More on this later.
Taking risks is part of everyday life. For the most part, people are good at dealing with risks with which they are familiar. Certain types of risks, however, when "intuitively" processed, lead to suboptimal behaviors.
Commentary
Schneier writes about risk a lot: our intuitions about, overreactions to, and essential need for risk. The most common failures of our risk intuition stem from cognitive biases related to rare, unknown, or voluntary risks.
In general, we tend to think that people are risk averse. But sometimes people seem to seek out risks-- such as playing the lottery. Why? A possible explanation is the framing effect. Consider the following case. You can have one of the following applied to your order:
- A $5 discount, or
- A $5 fee waived.
Now imagine there's probability thrown in for good measure. Which of the following sounds like a better insurance sales pitch:
- There's a pretty good chance you won't loose anything.
- There's a small chance you'll loose a lot.
- There's a pretty good chance you won't win anything.
- There's a small chance you'll win a lot.
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