A Tory MP says astrology could have “a role to play in healthcare”. The Guardian has the risible details.
David Tredinnick said astrology, along with complementary medicine, could take pressure off NHS doctors, but acknowledged that any attempt to spend taxpayers’ money on consulting the stars would cause “a huge row”.
And why would it cause a huge row? Because it’s bullshit, and medicine is supposed to be non-bullshit. The only way astrology could “take pressure off NHS doctors” would be by diverting patients into the Bullshit Department, which defeats the purpose of having a health service at all. I mean you could take the pressure of NHS doctors by deporting all their patients, too, or by executing them, or by sealing them up inside their houses. That wouldn’t be much of a favor to the patients though.
He criticised the BBC and TV scientist Professor Brian Cox for taking a “dismissive” approach to astrology, and accused opponents of being “racially prejudiced”.
Astrology is a race? I did not know that.
He told Astrological Journal:
I do believe that astrology and complementary medicine would help take the huge pressure off doctors.
Ninety per cent of pregnant French women use homeopathy. Astrology is a useful diagnostic tool enabling us to see strengths and weaknesses via the birth chart.
No, it isn’t. And people using things ≠ things being effective.
Mr Tredinnick, 65, added: “Astrology offers self-understanding to people. People who oppose what I say are usually bullies who have never studied astrology.
“Astrology was until modern times part of the tradition of medicine … People such as Professor Brian Cox, who called astrology ‘rubbish’, have simply not studied the subject.
“The BBC is quite dismissive of astrology and seeks to promote the science perspective and seems always keen to broadcast criticisms of astrology.”
Good lord.
Lots of things were until modern times part of the tradition of medicine – because the science of medicine (like other science) is cumulative and progressive. That “until modern times” bit is important: it’s a signpost for the fact that research got done. Lucky us to live at a time when medicine can do better than astrology.
Is that a true statistic? 90% of pregnant French women would use homeopathy? That sounds implausible to me, but if it’s true, we’re in trouble. I can’t find the MP’s source though, so there’s hope.
Ninety per cent of pregnant French women use homeopathy.
A bit of red wine may be healthful, but we really should try to get the other 10% to drink some water too.
I would suggest that 100% of pregnant French women use homeopathy. It’s called drinking water….. 😉
So Tredinnick is at it again? He seems to be very deeply invested in denial-of-reality; and entirely insusceptible to people explaining why he is wrong. Back in ’09, he told Parliament that “blood does not clot under a full moon”.
_
What bothers me (an outside observer to UK politics) is that Tredinnick has been re-elected with pretty much the same percentage of the Bosworth vote since the 1990s – between 40% and 44%. On the other hand, there is another general election in May. There is an opportunity for the electorate to get rid of him, if a large enough percentage can be persuaded to do so.
http://youtu.be/26IOww0gO1w
Hmm, are we sure Tredinnick isn’t just a modern spelling of Theodoric?
“Wait a minute. Perhaps she’s right. Perhaps I’ve been wrong to blindly folow the medical traditions and superstitions of past centuries. Maybe we barbers should test these assumptions analytically, through experimentation and a “scientific method”. Maybe this scientific method could be extended to other fields of learning: the natural sciences, art, architecture, navigation. Perhaps I could lead the way to a new age, an age of rebirth, a Renaissance! (pause) Naaaaaahhh!”
@michaelbusch, #4:
I’m not holding my breath. Our first-past-the-post system leads to the phenomenon of the “safe seat” – in a significant number of constituencies the identity and views of the candidate are nigh-on irrelevant because the demographics of the area mean one party will win, regardless of any outside issues. It was often said of the town in which I grew up that if Labour put up a monkey for election, it would win.
Elections in this country are decided by a tiny, tiny minority of the electorate. The only ones who matter are the ones who are BOTH swing voters AND happen to live in marginal constituencies. A recent study which I can’t be bothered to research (heard about it on some Radio 4 show) seemed to show that even if voting were made compulsory it wouldn’t change that fact by much.
It’s a bit depressing, but so is every other possible system of government that doesn’t limit voting to people who can pass an IQ test and a pop quiz on current affairs. 50% of people are of below average intelligence, and way more than 50% aren’t paying any useful attention to the news, but they still all get to vote.
Looking at the electoral history of Bosworth, it’s returned a Tory in every election since 1970, and the last time it was even close was in the massive, country-wide Labour surge of 1997. The could probably get a turnip elected if they pinned a blue rosette on it.
Maybe some high percentage of French women have tried some homeopathic product or products. I’ve been to France, (wonderful country!)but never bought or looked over any health products there, so I don’t know how popular they are.
But in a lot of places, various alternative health material gets mixed in with readily available over the counter remedies and even food and drink. A certain juice will be sold with wild claims on the bottle about the virtually magical properties of the fruit it’s made from. An herbal tea will claim to prevent various diseases and improve mental health. The dietary supplements shelf will have a lot of products that are of dubious value and based on poor science.
These aren’t homeopathic examples, but the principle is the same. People(men as much as women) use these products to varying degrees with different levels of commitment to or knowledge of the philosophy behind them. They may not even be doing it for health reasons. They want something to drink and this product looks nice and also says it’s good for you, so why not?
Or they’re in a store looking for quick headache or cold relief and decide to try something new. In some cases, pseudoscience or occult ideas may be mixed with a useful service. A massage therapist may be good at helping with pain and stress, but their guiding theory may also involve magical thinking. The drink may be better for you than having another cup of institutional coffee and it taste good, while lacking the unlikely properties on the label.
So the simple use of these products and services shouldn’t be used to label entire nations or other groups of people as strong believers in magical or pseudoscientific ideas based on sales or polls about use. For another example, most people I know think chiropractors are a kind of physical therapist specializing in back pain and know nothing of the idea that all diseases are caused by misalignment of the spine.
I’m very curious as to why the Astrological Journal finds it relevant to state Tredinnick’s age, and also wondering why they did not also state his astrological sign.
Alas that party affiliation is such a strong factor in elections pretty much everywhere on Earth.