3 ms·

I’m sure there are some great points in this paper but this bit of un-evidenced bit of speculation turned me off: > It has been noted that guide dogs working i

by danw1979 3y ago

I’m sure there are some great points in this paper but this bit of un-evidenced bit of speculation turned me off: > It has been noted that guide dogs working in towns breathe the same pollutants as humans yet do not have asthma. Could this be because when they lie on their chests the kickback from the upper ribs keeps the corresponding vertebrae mobile, allowing the sympathetic system to work efficiently? Or could it be one of the many other physiological differences between humans and dogs ? I think the author notes that this is mostly a collection of anecdotal observations, but linking a primarily inflammatory disorder like asthma with musculoskeletal problems is a bit far fetched in my layman’s opinion. Sounds a bit like chiropractic quackery to me.

dmix 3y ago
He lists his profession as a physiotherapist so probably crossed into the chiropractic side a bit, some of his personal photos are a little hippy-ish. The article is also premised on one large appeal to nature (tribal people untainted by modern society do it therefore it is natural and therefore good). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature
- tlb 3y ago
  Appeal to nature is bad as a source of ultimate truth, "nature does it this way therefore it must be better." But it's good as a source of hypotheses, "nature does it this way, perhaps we should try it?" This paper seems more like the second.
  - dmix 3y ago
    I don't see the difference between those two statements absent scientific data. That's merely a useful seed of an idea, not a sufficient premise for an argument.
    - DANmode 3y ago
      Hypotheses are not for arguments. They are indeed a seed for discovery. What are you talking about, Willis?
Townley 3y ago
Also notable: some dogs do get asthma, and cats have asthma commonly https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/asthma-symptoms-cats https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/asthma-symptoms-cats

dmix 3y ago

He lists his profession as a physiotherapist so probably crossed into the chiropractic side a bit, some of his personal photos are a little hippy-ish. The article is also premised on one large appeal to nature (tribal people untainted by modern society do it therefore it is natural and therefore good). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature

tlb 3y ago
Appeal to nature is bad as a source of ultimate truth, "nature does it this way therefore it must be better." But it's good as a source of hypotheses, "nature does it this way, perhaps we should try it?" This paper seems more like the second.
- dmix 3y ago
  I don't see the difference between those two statements absent scientific data. That's merely a useful seed of an idea, not a sufficient premise for an argument.
  - DANmode 3y ago
    Hypotheses are not for arguments. They are indeed a seed for discovery. What are you talking about, Willis?

Townley 3y ago

Also notable: some dogs do get asthma, and cats have asthma commonly https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/asthma-symptoms-cats https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/asthma-symptoms-cats