See also: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-psychologist/200911/coma-dubious-science-and-false-hope
(apologies for the duplication to TIPs members who are also PESTs members). Just got a call from the Associated Press, so it seems that at least some news organizations are on to the fact that something is very fishy here. .....Scott Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D. Professor Editor, Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice Department of Psychology, Room 473 Psychology and Interdisciplinary Sciences (PAIS) Emory University 36 Eagle Row Atlanta, Georgia 30322 [email protected] (404) 727-1125 Psychology Today Blog: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-psychologist 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-140513111X.html Scientific American Mind: Facts and Fictions in Mental Health Column: http://www.scientificamerican.com/sciammind/ The Master in the Art of Living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his intellectual passions. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him - he is always doing both. - Zen Buddhist text (slightly modified) -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 3:38 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] facilitated communication? __New Scientist_ has an admiring piece on the Pharyngula man, P.Z. Myers, the "mild-mannered scourge of creationists" at http://tinyurl.com/yzlryj5 The third item in Myers' blog for today (at http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/ ) is the Rom Houben case of alleged recovery from a vegetative state. Myers, in addition to citing Randi and Arthur Caplan, whom we've previously noted, also cites and links to Orac at http://tinyurl.com/yf7zn9j Orac puts the case in the context of "Another contender for the worst reporting ever", the previous candidate being none other than Desiree Jennings, whom we've also recently discussed. So dissent to the widespread uncritical reporting of this "miracle" is spreading, although still only a tiny fraction of the total. How long until Steven Laureys, the neurologist promoting this, issues an embarrassed retraction? I give him two weeks. And this post ties together three of our recent concerns--Darwin, Desiree, and Houben. Stephen ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University e-mail: [email protected] 2600 College St. Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7 Canada ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected]) This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments). --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
