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Giving out medical advice like this can be dangerous. There may be lots of other factors that you and I aren't aware of. Its an interesting thought but be care

Giving out medical advice like this can be dangerous. There may be lots of other factors that you and I aren't aware of. Its an interesting thought but be careful urging everyone else to avoid the recommendation.

kevinburke 6y ago
Thanks, the Surgeon General of the United States was posting on Twitter in March that you shouldn't wear masks, so I'm not sure that arguing from authority is a very compelling argument at this point. Data about allergic reaction rates, infection rates, and conditions that are ideal for spreading COVID are all public and not in dispute. My argument is a straightforward application of that data to the facts.
- switch007 6y ago
  Isn't ignoring an authority because they once said something you disagreed with also some other kind of fallacy? Or do you feel so incredibly vindicated about mask-usage (not that mask-wearing is a panacea, it's also complicated) that this gave you the confidence to write a blog post mostly in the imperative mood/without conditions and without any citations? I'm curious.
  - kevinburke 6y ago
    No, I'm just saying the specific track record of US public health authorities and US government officials with regard to keeping you and your loved ones safe from the coronavirus has been very poor. I would not say that about, for example, public health officials in New Zealand or South Korea, but then they are offering very different advice than public health officials and elected officials in the United States. The Surgeon General happens to be a pretty easy example, but there are many, many others, at every level of US government.
- ASalazarMX 6y ago
  To be fair, many people were stumbling around with how deadly and contagious COVID-19 actually was, and face masks were getting scarce for actual health workers. Fortunately they are cheap to produce, and the scarcity didn't last long.
- jonshariat 6y ago
  You seem to be falling into the Historian's Fallacy[1]. (decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision.) At the time COVID data was sparse and masks were seeing a shortage so that healthcare workers could not get enough to perform their duties. Was this the correct action, perhaps and perhaps not. You may also be correct with your conclusion but your recommendation is not been vetted by healthcare professionals and so there may be very large gaps in your knowledge (unknown unknowns) that make your conclusion seem like a no brainer to you. Perhaps what you can do is take down the post and share it with a professional to see if it makes sense and if are any issues they see. Lastly, medical advice comes with legal implications if someone follows it and comes to harm. You may be opening yourself to legal risk. I know you've got the absolute best intentions, but it's our responsibility in this age of tech to be rigorous with truth and what we choose to broadcast to others. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historian%27s_fallacy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historian%27s_fallacy

kevinburke 6y ago

Thanks, the Surgeon General of the United States was posting on Twitter in March that you shouldn't wear masks, so I'm not sure that arguing from authority is a very compelling argument at this point. Data about allergic reaction rates, infection rates, and conditions that are ideal for spreading COVID are all public and not in dispute. My argument is a straightforward application of that data to the facts.

switch007 6y ago
Isn't ignoring an authority because they once said something you disagreed with also some other kind of fallacy? Or do you feel so incredibly vindicated about mask-usage (not that mask-wearing is a panacea, it's also complicated) that this gave you the confidence to write a blog post mostly in the imperative mood/without conditions and without any citations? I'm curious.
- kevinburke 6y ago
  No, I'm just saying the specific track record of US public health authorities and US government officials with regard to keeping you and your loved ones safe from the coronavirus has been very poor. I would not say that about, for example, public health officials in New Zealand or South Korea, but then they are offering very different advice than public health officials and elected officials in the United States. The Surgeon General happens to be a pretty easy example, but there are many, many others, at every level of US government.
ASalazarMX 6y ago
To be fair, many people were stumbling around with how deadly and contagious COVID-19 actually was, and face masks were getting scarce for actual health workers. Fortunately they are cheap to produce, and the scarcity didn't last long.
jonshariat 6y ago
You seem to be falling into the Historian's Fallacy[1]. (decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision.) At the time COVID data was sparse and masks were seeing a shortage so that healthcare workers could not get enough to perform their duties. Was this the correct action, perhaps and perhaps not. You may also be correct with your conclusion but your recommendation is not been vetted by healthcare professionals and so there may be very large gaps in your knowledge (unknown unknowns) that make your conclusion seem like a no brainer to you. Perhaps what you can do is take down the post and share it with a professional to see if it makes sense and if are any issues they see. Lastly, medical advice comes with legal implications if someone follows it and comes to harm. You may be opening yourself to legal risk. I know you've got the absolute best intentions, but it's our responsibility in this age of tech to be rigorous with truth and what we choose to broadcast to others. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historian%27s_fallacy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historian%27s_fallacy