To ask whether or not people here believe in homeopathy?

[DaisyLovesMetronidazole]

I don't at all.

However, I'm not out for a bunfight!

Just curious, as was surprised by the response of a certain group to this question today.

Just like to add, re. the emergency medical situations- My Homeopath was a GP for 15 years, she made a choice to leave, having become completely disillusioned with conventional medicine, and studied homeopathy.She would certainly recognize an emergency situation and act upon it.

She does not of course have the xray,scan, blood testing facilities available as a GP does.

If i am unsure of my illness, i will see my GP, have tests if necessary, get a diagnosis and then decide which course of action to take accordingly.

There are however crap homeopaths, just as there are crap doctors, crap dentists, crap acupuncturists, crap counsellors etc.

Anyhow, the sceptics on this thread should be pleased that 1000s of people seek alternative solutions,with the 'superbugs' and super strains of bacteria around these days, that have developed due to the overuse of conventional medicines. Imagine how bad the situation could be if every single person in the UK, took the Antibiotics etc available to them every single time.

To be honest, I think it's more Utilitarian than relativist. In fact: as you bring up "moral relativism", the "guiltiest" (is that a word?) are those who are so condemnatory and abusive of homeopathy, but so condoning and excusing of worse flaws and problems with conventional medicine.

Phew, now that's like moral relativism turned upside down. Or something.

Winter: you chose your professional on the basis of trust. That's up to you.

I have used homoeopathy on myself, my horse and my children with variable success. I have pretty much become unconvinced by it despite previously being quite keen. 'Successes' include - arnica when 3rd stage of labour wasn't happening - placenta then came straight out, hypericum and arnica for horse's serious injury and a remedy that I can't remember that I took when I was overdue. These anecdotal successes could all be chance, or they could be a case of using the 'correct' remedy.

The placebo effect is a good thing though, if it works what the hell is the problem with it? IDK why people get so worked up about it (apart from in the obvious extreme examples such as the link about the child who died - although I expect there is far more to that story).

I do really dislike the argument that if science does not prove something it is therefore a lie. That is incredibly naive and gullible.

I don't think they're sceptics. They're just, plodders and followers.

Is that abuse?

There is also a GP who also practices homoeopathy at my Dr's practice. Biomedicine and homeopathy are not always positioned as polar opposites.

So people who understand that the fundamental principles of homeopathy (i.e the memory of water and fancy shaking) are nonsense are 'plodders'?!! LOL.

And no one has answered my questions about the labels yet.

And there's nowt to be skeptical about, homeopathy is like astrology or palm reading...it's bunkum.

I haven't looked through the whole thread, what was the labels question?

I don't agree wholesale with the principles of homeopathy but I am inclined to think that anyone who DISbelieves it and agrees wholeheartedly that because science cannot account for it, it is therefore rubbish, are not particularly open minded people!

Your question about the labels is childish, that's why.

It not just that they understand. I do that, for example. It's that they can't see beyond that to the benefit of homeopathy, which lies outside chemistry and physics. Will only abuse and ridicule (the easy part) but ignore the contribution made by homeopathy to health and well-being. Which may well be inexplicable and difficult to understand, and it may well be traditional to abuse what we don't understand: but still, as intelligent and educated people, we ought to try harder than that.

That is why you are plodders. It's so easy to say "ner ner" and never use an ounce of brainpower to think a little bit harder about whether there is real benefit, whether there would be real loss without it. And, in addition, to compare its costs with those of conventional medicine, a calculation in which it comes out rather favourably.

It is thoughtful and inquiring to examine why so many medically and conventionally trained people may use it, or remove to it as a profession, or condone its use in their patients. It is intriguing to question and to value its placebo effect, and to try to quantify exactly how significant that is.

Yes, it's a plodder and a follower who can't stretch themselves to think about these things.

How can you make such ontological claims as to what is ...err...'bunkum' alsitron? :) Not that I am exactly disagreeing with your claim, just that while you seem to have made a final decision, I remain open to possibilities.

It's just so lazy to say "bunkum". You prove my point.

The labels question is, if all the pills in a homeopathic lab fell out on the floor, how would you decide which was which to put back in the containers.

It's Y1 stuff. Poo wee willy pants drawers.

Err...well spotted that they all look the same I would hope that having fallen on the floor you would bin them!?

Why is my question childish? If I was a pharmacist and the labels fell off my bottles I'd be able to get my gear tested to see what was what...'cos of the woo known as active ingredients.

If I were a homeopath and the same happened how would I distinguish between my bottles of water?

Constantly bringing up bad pharma, placebo and telling people to be open minded is just lazy. I don't need to be open minded, 500 years of science and reason is on my side.

You won't answer my question Gooseberry because you can't and you know that the reason why you can't is because homeopathy doesn't work.

There is a difference between being 'open minded', deluded and just plain wrong.

To be honest Alsitron I haven't answered because I assumed it couldn't possibly be directed at me. I've already said many many many times that I think homeopathy works by placebo effect only. I'm sorry you're so confused and upset by my "refusal" to respond: but I think you'd be better off directing it at someone who thinks there's more than water in the pills.

Just lazy? Are you actually copying what I'm saying and just turning it back at me, rather than addressing my points. Hmmmmmmmm why yes I think you are.

In what way am I deluded, and in what way am I wrong?

But my question to you Alistron - is how can you claim to KNOW if something is just plain wrong. Are you omniscient? Why are you right and others are wrong? This is simply beliefs - yours are different. Science is not capable of explaining everything and thinking that it is IS being closed minded...because you have shut off a whole range of possibilities. Science is constantly evolving and being disproved etc.

Sorry Alistron - should read that your beliefs are different to others on this thread - not just plain 'different'! :)

It's not 'just' me who is right, scientific method...500 years of science and reason etc ad infinitum.

Science works bitches, homeopathy doesn't.

But science is subjective! You can choose to believe it (I do, but with caution). I certainly wouldn't disbelieve something just because science cannot prove it though!

How many of us have been met with the words from our traditional medics :

"Oh Mrs ..... medicine is not an exact science "

There is room for all (if practiced professionally ) and those that don't believe in alternatives ... no need to worry about it right ? :)

In what way am I deluded and wrong?

Why have you lowered yourself even further in calling us bitches?

Homeopathy does indeed work, as a placebo.

"Science" said Vioxx and Thalidomide were safe.

Heh @ bitches... believing that we are all typing with paws...not that is indeed delusional!!!

Does anyone else get the impression that gooseberrybushes will just go on and on and on with her belittling of others, her self congratulatory tone and unconvincing and illogical arguments until everyone else has got thoroughly bored and left the thread. She will then be convinced she has 'won' the argument. Do you bore people like this in RL too?

NOW not NOT!