Alternative treatments in reproductive medicine The vexing problem of `seemingly impeccable trials....'

Author: Vandenbroucke J.P.  

Publisher: Oxford University Press

ISSN: 1460-2350

Source: Human Reproduction, Vol.17, Iss.9, 2002-09, pp. : 2228-2229

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Abstract

The problem of `seemingly impeccable trials' that produce unbelievable results is approached from basic notions of the philosophy of science: facts and theory are interdependent, and `crucial experiments' do not exist. This does not lead to an `anything goes' attitude, but obliges us to consider arguments and counter-arguments in the spirit of the `crossword' analogy by Susan Haack. The role of editors and readers might be different: while editors might be under some obligation to publish `seemingly impeccable trials', readers are not obliged to accept the findings.