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five707 t1_izotqwz wrote

Anecdotal over empirical evidence.

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Justtryme90 t1_izpn43u wrote

It's more like no evidence over empirical evidence.

Anecdotes are often based in fact and reality, they are just not verified with sufficient rigor. What we have with the anti vax position, is wild claims based on layer upon layer of misunderstanding.

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compchief t1_izq0y7b wrote

I'm curious, what are the usual anti-vaccine wild claims regarding the vaccine?

−7

Baud_Olofsson t1_izslbor wrote

The most popular one right now is claiming that people are dropping like flies from their COVID vaccines (simply made up, but "evidence" is presented by ascribing any and all deaths, regardless of actual cause of death, to vaccines). Other ones include:

  • "mRNA vaccines are gene therapy" (based on a complete misunderstanding of what mRNA is and what it does in our bodies).
  • "COVID vaccines cause AIDS" (simply made up).
  • "The vaccines contain tracking chips/5G chips/nanites" (simply made up, physically implausible/impossible).
  • "Vaccines make you magnetic" (simply made up, and physically impossible - but "proven" by sticking metal objects to skin (they stick because of sweat and oils on the skin; it has nothing to do with magnetism or any vaccines)).
  • "The vaccines shed to other people" (an actual but generally insignificant thing for some attenuated ("live") vaccines - of which there are none for COVID-19).
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charliespider t1_izov8b3 wrote

Tell me you don't know the meaning of "anecdotal" without telling me you don't know the meaning of "anecdotal"

(EDIT)

LOLZ!

I interpreted the comment I responded to as meaning the study was anecdotal, but I see now that they meant the anti-vaxxers' tweets were anecdotal.

I had contemplated adding another line to my comment like:

>a scientific study is the exact opposite of anecdotal

but didn't because my response seemed sufficient as is. OOPS!

Now people think I'M the anti-vaxxer!

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five707 t1_izow1lz wrote

Anecdotal: based on personal observation, case study reports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation

It is exactly why these anti-vax messages are driven by based on the study. It is exactly what the study says ‘based on personal beliefs or values rather than hard evidence’. That is the exact definition of relying on anecdotal evidence rather than empirical evidence.

Think it thru next time.

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