"United Kingdom Fang zizhou" Simon · Singh: I very much admire Fang zizhou

"United Kingdom Fang zizhou" provoke lawsuits on fake science, entangled two years ended with the withdrawal of Simon scientific origin is the starting point for all therapy · Simon Singh is physics, is a rather prestigious United Kingdom science writers, the popular science book, the big bang "," Fermat's last theorem "in Chinese readers quite famous. In 2008, he was in his creation to the guardian's science column on "chiropractic". Subsequently, the United Kingdom Association of chiropractic treatment for libel against him had been instituted legal proceedings. 1 April this year, which lasted two years finally settled the lawsuit, the United Kingdom chiropractic Therapy Association to withdraw the appeal request. In this reporter's email contact, interviews Simon, media reported a famous science writers Fang zizhou in apartments was assaulted in the vicinity. The cases also precisely because of the "Science of fake". In fact, I often because Fang zizhou including Chinese traditional medicine, "alternative medicine" criticism and become the focus of discussions. By Simon experiences, in turn, look at the situation in China, or there will be some inspiration. On the "spine" lawsuit against a person a Association Beijing News: are you a doctor of physics, how will concern a chiropractic? why write the vigilance of spine trap that article? Simon: April 2008, I research on alternative medicine and the experts ' Azad · oest-wrote a book about our many treatments, such as homeopathy, herbal medicine and acupuncture. I also wrote some articles, including an article about chiropractic. I see some chiropractic therapists unfounded assertions, such as claims through vertebral massage treatment of abdominal colic, ear infection. Initially I just think that argument is nonsense, and then I went in search of evidence and found many similar statements have no basis or even invoke some contrary evidence. Beijing News: previously you come across this kind of "fake" lawsuit yet, have you heard about similar cases elsewhere? Simon: this is my first time being sued for defamation. My previous article main and dispute less Cosmology and pure mathematics, in addition to my writing has always been cautious. When I am accused of defamation, I immediately realized that it was not the first person – London University Professor of Pharmacology has been New Zealand's Chiropractic therapists threaten to sue; one of my friends have written about the "homeopathic" criticism of the article, but is threatened to be sued for defamation; a cardiovascular consultants because criticism a cardiac device, is a pharmaceutical company. In fact, some medical journals started to talk about "defamation of the word" fear, because fear of being sued for libel, they are no longer published some articles. Beijing News: you find a reconciliation of such approaches?, Simon: I try to seek reconciliation. I give United Kingdom chiropractic Therapy Association (BCA) wrote a letter to clarify, in the newspaper Association of whole articles, newspapers and even promised to publish an apology. BCA to apologize for my own name, but I am not able to do the right thing to apologize. Thus, BCA initiated proceedings. This lawsuit was such a long time, wasted so much money that are the fault of BCA. Beijing News: this time, you are faced with a society, are you afraid? Simon: the entire litigation process all my confrontation with the entire body. BCA has over 1000 members. But I am only one person. But as long as possible, I try not to compromise. In addition, although I'm responding to legal process as a whole, but I'm behind many supporters, I hear from push, e-mail, and blogs to support voice, in this sense, I am not alone. Beijing News: How do you see the result of this lawsuit? Simon: BCA withdrew its action. I am pleasantly surprised. After all, my article from the newspaper Web site removed, I was free to express their point of view. However, I do not have to prove yourself wrong and had to spend a lot of money, that makes me very angry. Lawsuit over two years, one year I had to lay down their work. I have been in strong pressure, because once lost the lawsuit, I will pay 100 million in damages. BCA withdrawing, I can apply for up to them to bear part of the cost of litigation, but I'll pay £ 5 million. This is why there are so many people in similar situations encountered, knowingly, but chose apologies — they can't afford the time, money and emotional costs. About alternative medicine "homeopathic" just a sugar pill Beijing News: your replacement therapy overview? Simon: why is it called them the "alternative" treatments? because they lack sufficient evidence to support it. There are some therapy (such as using hypnosis to treat irritable bowel syndrome) may have enough evidence, you can enter the mainstream medical profession rather than just the "alternative". But overall, substitution therapy are the lack of evidence, or even possible because evidence error cause harm to the human body. However, I try not to generalize, because there are a variety of alternative therapies, so I will do on specific therapy. If you want to ask that the overall view, I'd say "doubt". Beijing News: at present in China, the debate on traditional medicine in the on-going, on whether it should be placed in the context of science, it has a totally different discussion. Simon: there are other areas? what? philosophy? poetry religion? geography? gardening? if we want to discuss a therapy is effective in treating the symptoms of the human body, the science is the only category. If evidence that the therapy is effective, then there may be economic, emotional, ethical, and other issues, but science must be the starting point. Beijing News: some people say that if we start to discuss science, traditional medicine may affect one involving millions of big industry. You seem to have encountered the same problems — you on chiropractic in criticism may affect the United Kingdom many chiropractic therapists work. Simon: I'm more concerned about patients, those who want to give your children the best treatment of parents. Those who use invalid traditional therapy should be retrained, instead use effective medical methods, so regardless of whether they are more beneficial for the patient. Beijing News: why traditional medicine attracted so many people?, Simon: each country or each kind of therapy are different. In the United Kingdom, homeopathic attracted wealthy middle class. They sympathize with the natural treatments and traditional medicine, no HiThe Huan tai enterprise and man-made chemicals. While in India, homeopathy at the beginning of the 20th century attracted many young people, because at that time, the United Kingdom were not allowed to enter medical school. A century later, India still has a lot of people support homeopathic. But I'm sure, whether in India or in the United Kingdom, homeopathy is absolutely no point effect, just a sugar pill. About the science of fake I admired Fang zizhou Beijing News: you may have heard of Chinese science writers Fang zizhou attacked a thing. Now, this has been confirmed and the "fake" for science. Simon: I read in the magazine to Fang zizhou. It makes me think of their own circumstances, even though I never worry about (because of fake) violence. Fang zizhou in front of fake science and pseudoscience and come forward, it makes me very admired. I hope that his colleagues, other scientists and science writers to be able to support this position, he will be passed to more people. Beijing News: what makes a pseudoscience? Simon: varies from country to country. In the United Kingdom, vaccine fear I worry, because this kind of fear is not based on Science, but from individual media sensationalism. In India, thousands of people, superstition, astrology is deeply rooted in society and culture. In the United States, I am often surprised at the society does not believe in evolution on the proportion of people, the rate of growth and fundamentalists of sales increased. Beijing News: science itself is in constant development, scientific authors how to maintain objectivity? Simon: Let's look at examples of global warming. For the author, the write? believe? not my neighbor, not the bankers, not the coal mine — and I put myself on the science of understanding establishing the best climate experts, the best scientist's point of view. Through the best expert point of view of discrimination, I am of the view that man-made global warming is fact, and it is very bad, we must quickly respond. Beijing News: the public in the face of the dispute as to how to make their own judgement? Simon: we should listen to scientists of mainstream views, which is a scientific consensus. Science is a very conservative areas. Only found significant and convincing evidence, the scientific community will change their point of view. Or to the "global warming", for example, 30 years ago, scientists do not believe it, but later on, we see a lot of evidence that the scientific community of mainstream perspective radically changes, most experts believe that "global warming is caused by human activity" of objective facts, unless we are dealing with now, otherwise, would seriously endanger the future of humanity. 【 Character card 】 Simon · famous science writers United Kingdom Singh. Famous popular scientific works the Fermat's last theorem "from his hand, the BBC has also photographed the accordingly with the documentary. He also authored the book "password," "big bang", "trick or treat: trial of replacement therapy" (co-author), science and reading. As a particle physics PhD, he has been working for the European Atomic Energy Agency. Two years ago, he was in the Guardian article criticized the effectiveness of chiropractic, into a protracted defamation lawsuits. Links for chiropractic (Chiropractic) also known as spinal massage therapy, new spine therapy, chiropractic medicine. A derivedfrom United States alternative medical technology. Chiropractic therapists believe that spine angle not just affect the nervous system, thus affecting human health, chiropractic therapists will pass the correction spine treatment for some diseases or recuperation. Interviews/reporter Kim Yu