5 ms·

I can't speak for Stamets, but I wouldn't disqualify someone as an authority in a field due to lack of degree. For example, Agner Fog is an anthropologist who

by tcbawo 6y ago

I can't speak for Stamets, but I wouldn't disqualify someone as an authority in a field due to lack of degree. For example, Agner Fog is an anthropologist who is also a frequently cited authority on x86 instruction timing and optimization.

bagacrap 6y ago
I think the gp is disqualifying Stamets as an authority because he makes claims that are poorly supported by evidence. I agree with this assessment. He also happens to have no formal qualifications. So from where does he derive his authority? And if he has no authority, why is an article that is based on his authority interesting? I agree with gp that he's interesting, but he's also a salesman for fungi --- literally. For example, he sells lions mane extracts which promise to improve memory and cognitive function. All of the science in this area is based on mouse studies. Stamets asserts this "translates from mice to humans," and leaves it at that. He makes statements such as "a Japanese researcher postulated" or "there are several clinical trials out there" (without commenting on their design or even conclusions). So while nothing he says is a lie, everything he says is meant to point to a certain conclusion despite a dramatic lack of direct evidence. If lions mane really helped that much, you'd think it would be easy to determine that, because given it's safety profile it should be easy to run a study on humans.
- smallnamespace 6y ago
  On the other hand, well powered human studies are expensive, but supplements are very cheap.
- electrondood 6y ago
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=hericium+erinaceus+NOT+mice+NOT+rats https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=hericium+erinaceus+NOT...
- ianai 6y ago
  He does say they don’t go from mice to humans automatically.
runarberg 6y ago
See also Jane Goodall who was awarded her degree only after her groundbreaking discoveries about non-human primate behavior.

by tcbawo 6y ago

bagacrap 6y ago

I think the gp is disqualifying Stamets as an authority because he makes claims that are poorly supported by evidence. I agree with this assessment. He also happens to have no formal qualifications. So from where does he derive his authority? And if he has no authority, why is an article that is based on his authority interesting? I agree with gp that he's interesting, but he's also a salesman for fungi --- literally. For example, he sells lions mane extracts which promise to improve memory and cognitive function. All of the science in this area is based on mouse studies. Stamets asserts this "translates from mice to humans," and leaves it at that. He makes statements such as "a Japanese researcher postulated" or "there are several clinical trials out there" (without commenting on their design or even conclusions). So while nothing he says is a lie, everything he says is meant to point to a certain conclusion despite a dramatic lack of direct evidence. If lions mane really helped that much, you'd think it would be easy to determine that, because given it's safety profile it should be easy to run a study on humans.

smallnamespace 6y ago
On the other hand, well powered human studies are expensive, but supplements are very cheap.
electrondood 6y ago
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=hericium+erinaceus+NOT+mice+NOT+rats https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=hericium+erinaceus+NOT...
ianai 6y ago
He does say they don’t go from mice to humans automatically.

runarberg 6y ago

See also Jane Goodall who was awarded her degree only after her groundbreaking discoveries about non-human primate behavior.