Alternative medicine: A "mirror image" for scientific reasoning in conventional medicine

A reflection on the scientific behavior of adherents of conventional medici ne toward one form of alternative medicine-homeopathy-teaches us that physi cians do reject seemingly solid evidence because it is not compatible with theory. Further reflection, however, shows that physicians do the same with in conventional medical science: Sometimes they discard a theory because of new facts, but at other times they cling to a theory despite the facts. Th is essay highlights the seeming contradiction and discusses whether it stil l permits the building of rational medical science. We propose that rationa l science Is compatible with physicians' behavior, provided that physicians acknowledge the subjective element in the evaluation of science, as exempl ified in the crossword analogy by the philosopher Haack. This type of think ing fits very well with the Bayesian approach to decision making that has b een advocated for decades in clinical medicine. It does not lead to complet e and uncontrollable subjectivity because discernment between rivaling expl anations is still possible through argument and counterargument.