Confusion of causation and correlation:  Confusing an event, to be a cause and correlation, and being related to each other. Ex: It’s hot weather, therefore there will be higher crime, versus winter months.

mmr – the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine

(info available from FDA, CDC, investigative reports by Brian Deer)

§  Some in the anti-vax movement claim that the MMR has/had mercury in it. However, the MMR vaccine does not and never has had any mercury in it.
§  The basis of the “MMR vaccine causes autism” argument is a flawed study (retracted by The Lancet on February 2, 2010) by Andrew Wakefield, who had several ethics breaches, including failure to disclose financial compensation from a lawyer representing families claiming MMR cause their children’s autism, failure to disclose financial interests in patents for MMR alternatives, failure to include data which contradicted his conclusions, use of contaminated samples to support his conclusions.  Furthermore, on January 28, 2010, Wakefield and two of his co-authors, John Angus Walker-Smith and Simon Harry Murch, were found by the UK.’s General Medical Council to have acted irresponsibly, dishonestly and not in the clinical interests of the children involved in the study.  The basis for this decision included, among other things, colonoscopies, MRIs and lumbar punctures (spinal taps) when such procedures were not clinically indicated.  On May 24, 2010, the General Medical Council issued a determination that Wakefield and Walker-Smith (PDF links) were guilty of professional misconduct and should be erased from the Medical Register in the U.K. (meaning that his license to practice medicine in the U.K. has been revoked).

§  A 2009 study, titled “Lack of association between measles-mumps-rubella vaccination and autism in children: a case control study” examined whether there was a relationship between MMR and autism and concluded that there was no association.  This study is one of the latest in the stack of evidence against a connection. (See also SBM’s topic-based reference for more studies.)

§  Independent studies trying to replicate Wakefield’s results have come up negative. To date, no properly controlled study has shown a causal link between vaccines and autism.

§  Many opponents of the MMR will claim that the diseases prevented are mild and not dangerous.  This is not the case, as can be seen in numerous outbreaks around the world.  Measles can lead to encephalitis (swelling of the brain) in about 1 of every 1,000 individuals, possibly leading to death.  Mumps can lead to sterility in adult men, swollen ovaries or breasts in adult women and miscarriage in pregnant women, as well as encephalitis.  Rubella (German measles) can cause encephalitis, as well as birth defects if contracted by a pregnant woman.  There is also some evidence to suggest that infection with rubella while pregnant is the cause of some cases of autism.  While the majority of individuals who contract measles, mumps or rubella will survive with little or no lasting ill effects, there is still a significant risk of permanent injury or death.  The MMR vaccine can help to greatly reduce the risk of not only contracting the illnesses, and thereby reducing the risk of serious complications, but also to reduce the risk of passing the diseases on to others.
Post # 7-9: Ideology, Perception

Post 10:  
This source speaks about the ridiculous claims anti-vaxxers say about anti vaccination of measles and mumps. A very uncommon sickness but due to the fact that the anti-vaxxers don’t vaccine their kids. This exposes the children to more vulnerable diseases. They now are susceptible to harmful and serious health issues and maybe even death.  This is a prime example, from the doctor’s perspective, of how the parents are harming their kids, and how causation and correlation aren’t necessarily true. Ideological support isn’t always right in making decisions for you.  Although this site is “Biased” in the fact that there isn’t that much in terms of how the anti-vaxxers feel about the issues that concern them. This article is more against the anti-vaxxers than for them. Perhaps the anti-vaxxers have a good claim for why they don’t want their children getting medical shots. They are afraid that if the kid gets shots for swine flu, they become sicker than a kid without the shot. Although such decisions are up to the parents, it is considered child endangerment if it’s more important to get a shot to combat such illnesses. The source is credible because they have multiple sources.  They ask the reader to look into  The FDA’s approval of the clams being made. I believe the results could be replicated with other doctors to complete the test results. They would need to follow through to find the same evidence.  The alternative solution would be to research thoroughly all causes and cases. They would need to know how the medicine works before giving it to your children. 

Source:

 “human beings depend on magnetic fields for optimal cell regeneration -- a crucial component of physical and mental health. Scientific research demonstrates the likelihood that magnets support the body’s natural healing process, which is why we fortify our IonLoop accessories with ultimate levels of magnetic power.”

They keep saying how they’re product is amazing, and how everyone should use it. This source is very bias in its self, it keeps going on about energies and how if you buy their product it will help you out, health wise. Such a claim feels like a huge scam to me, like a pyramid scam. The source isn’t really credible, because they don’t have any facts supporting their wild claims. Even the scientific side of their product doesn’t make any sense. Since when have humans been needing this magnetic and negative ion energy? They claim we need it, thus creating a desire for it. When in fact we don’t need these products, and the product itself will do no such thing. They also don’t have any articles outside of what they supposedly researched and found. The site isn’t creditable. The scientific method hasn’t been proved. The site is very bias, in promoting the product as a “god send” to everyone, and a “must have” for our health. They even claim that athletes use it. I’ve never seen these athletes ever before, to me they seem fraudulent. I think the best alternative to this hocus pocus bracelets is to not buy one, because it’s a rip-off. My mother has purchased a product similar to it. All it is, is a bracelet nothing more, nothing less. Yet they claimed the same thing about improving balance and giving one more energy.  All they’re doing is piling lies, on top of lies creating proof by verbosity. Just exercise, that’s my advice. Take medicine for deficiencies that you might have.

 Source for verbosity
https://www.ionloop.com/testimonials/
Source for mystical Energy
https://www.ionloop.com/

 

 The reason I picked suppression by authorities is because they only recently released this info about 2 years ago. It wasn’t really mentioned where all the money was going, and for what purpose?

 Post# 7-9 Agenticity, unexplained, Ideology.

Post 10: The pilot claims that he saw a UFO, and that him and the USA government has been tracking it for 5 years.  Although CNN has made outlandish claims before, who’s to say we can trust them, when beforehand they claimed that the CIA is spying on us, through microwaves?  They have also been called Fake News beforehand. They have reported on youtubers, which is irrelevant to actual important issues, around the world. The scientific method hasn’t been followed. The government claims to have followed it by researching UFOs for 5 years. Who knows how much of that is really true. This is why I picked Agenticity, unexplained and ideology, as all of those things played a part in this conspiracy.  There seems to be a lot of disproving on the reporter’s side. Making the story a bit bias in supporting only her side, and leaving the whole issue unanswered.  The alternative solution is to believe in it based on assumptions, which isn’t the best choice.  It’s more of perception, tricking the pilot, and the government was researching UFOs traveling due to this perhaps. However, it might be a mistake of cause and correlation. It’s best not give in to conspiracies.

Source:

 Post: 7-9: Perception & observation, Simplicity

 Post: 10 

It will take care of acne, “no problem”, and if Adam and Justin use it. It must be good and safe to use but that isn’t necessarily true. The argument for it is that we should trust this product, and try it, because celebrities use, so therefore it must be good to use. The source isn’t exactly credible. Their proof is more of an exaggeration.  Proactive doesn’t show the step by step process. There is huge exaggeration on the person’s face being very dirty, and then the other extreme of the person with a clean face. It looks like they used photo shop, or makeup.  Apparently Proactive’s ingredients are found in typical acne care products. Their product isn’t unique says this source. http://screwyouacne.com/2014/10/17/proactiv/

Sometimes the person doesn’t even look like the same person, after the treatment. It looks like they, just replaced the other person with a look alike. Another thing is that the person might be the same, but they don’t have the same hair, and clothes before the treatment. This is very suspicious, considering they shouldn’t have to steep to sneaky marketing schemes to get people to buy their product. The process could be reproduced with make up and photoshop. It could also be reproduced in using other skin care products. According to proactive, the scientific method has been followed, that it’s been tested, but I’m not so sure of that.

They seem to be bias, in the fact that they only show the good result, or minor cases of acne. What about the bigger cases of acne, and what if the product doesn’t work out? What if the product causes more acne, or causes health issues? It sounds like too much of a good thing to be true. The alternative solution is to wash your face with soap and water, or maybe go to a skin doctor and ask what they would recommend. You could also go to bath and body works, or some store similar. Just try out products, and be aware of their marketing, and knowing whether or not if it’s a fraud, or a legitimate product.

 Sources: Justin Bieber & Adam Levine

Sources: 

 Post 7-9: Simplicity, Perception and observation, Emotional Connection

 Post #10: The problem with conformation bias is in a lot of things. Political, culture, religion, and even simple day to day issues.  Most of the sources explain conformation bias being a problem in society, and that we as a society are too closed minded. The argument for it is that as long as I can find evidence for my point, then it isn’t wrong, and other evidence is contradictory to my belief. For against it, however, it analysis both outcomes, and makes a final decision after comparing both sides. Sometimes the other side doesn’t always make a final decision. Sometimes they remain on the fence, to look for more information. The source is credible, in that the fact that they don’t lean to one side, versus the other. In both videos, they both keep in the middle, or say how it’s bad to keep to one side, when you should see both sides. It’s not really factual. It’s just saying to consider both sides, and not be bias about anything before making a decision. Results can be reproduced, because there is a couple of videos, and images of the same idea. I believe the scientific method has been followed, because they probably tested biased people, versus unbiased people, and compared both sides. There is a little bit of assumption that everyone is bias, which is true, but also some people aren’t bias. It’s just really hard to find people who aren’t bias. Well like the two videos, and picture it’s important to keep an open mind.

 Video sources:
https://youtu.be/6xMaR8au-YU
https://youtu.be/jOjIAiJCNIk

Picture source:
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/531284087268857267/