Medical facts exist in a dynamic fluid state . Finding the truth is often a herculean task .Disagreeing is easy . ( Proving a point may require a hundred experiments . . . but for disproving needs only one !)
Still , the essence of medical knowledge is about distillation of medical facts and myths and extracting the truth.
Do you know the levels of scientific argument ?
There are seven levels of arguing .
Argument , agreement and disagreement are central to the growth of science especially so in medical science. It can vary between polite refusal to blunt antagonism . Graham’s levels of disagreement throws light on this aspect of human intellect .
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By default , most human brains live in the bottom of this triangle. Where does the medical professionals stand in academic forums ? I am afraid they show little difference from that of lay public . Ad Hominem is extremely common in medical journalism . I have personally experienced this from elite peers ! A paper sent from a third world country like India is straightaway rejected or regretted without even looking at core content .
By the way . . . where do you like to stand on Graham’s scale ?
Dr.S.Venkatesan MD 