Harriet Hall, on debunking methods

Leifer

Senior Member.
Harriet Hall, in her article, in the Science Based Medicine blog. 6/2015.
Answering Cancer Quackery: The Sophisticated Approach to True Believers

...she describes the similar approach, as in Mick's OP.

Here’s how I answered (him)
You can’t change someone else’s mind; they have to change their own mind. The sophisticated approach is to ask them questions that lead them to doubt, and gently lead them to discover the truth for themselves. That is something Socrates was very good at; I’m not. But I can suggest some questions to ask. Maybe start with some kind of validation: Wow, that really sounds good; I can see why you’re impressed, but there are some things I’m wondering about…

If alkalinization works so well to eliminate cancer, why do you suppose he bothers to recommend a lot of other ways to cure cancer, with vitamin C, oxygen, a vegan diet, etc? Why do you suppose oncologists don’t offer any of those treatments to their patients?........(more)
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She describes a few methods.
It's a good read, the whole thing.
 
Here’s how I answered (him)

Don;t use words like "interlocutor". :)

I also would personally try to avoid "big pharma" questions like:
Why do you suppose oncologists don’t offer any of those treatments to their patients? How likely is it that this one man is right and the entire scientific medical community is wrong about everything from salt to vitamins to cholesterol?

... If you think “he just wants people to eat right,” don’t you think all those people who disagree with him also want people to eat right?
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These will only serve to reinforce the belief as the interlocutor responds to them. Why remind them.

ps. what does CAM mean?
 
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