The Rationable Podcast

What is Evidence? Part 2: Anecdotal Evidence


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Anecdotes are all around us, and we encounter them every day. It’s the way we humans share information. But there's a problem when it’s presented as evidence for a scientific claim. Then it’s called anecdotal evidence or argument from personal experience, which is also a logical fallacy called...you guessed it...the Anecdote Fallacy. This is the weakest form of evidence anyone can present for any claim they make. So, should we believe them?

Further Reading & References

Keto Diet: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2018/11/19/is-the-ketogenic-diet-the-best-way-to-lose-weight

Alternative Medicine: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog?category=Alternative%20Medicine

RCTs: * https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/6/11/what-is-evidence-part-1-randomised-controlled-trials

Anecdotal Evidence: *What is Anecdotal Evidence: https://youtu.be/ntEwAnrj0IU
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidencehttps://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2016/12/19/the-argument-from-personal-experience-debunked/https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence

Evolution of Cognitive Biases: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781119125563.evpsych241

Confirmation Bias; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201504/what-is-confirmation-bias

The Dunning Kruger Effect: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/dunning-kruger-effect/

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/anecdotal

Argument from personal experience Debunked: https://youtu.be/i48zNH_olps

Why People Believe Weird Things: Science, Pseudoscience, and Critical Thinking by Michael Shermer: https://amzn.to/2SUPwCZ

Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at [email protected]. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

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The Rationable PodcastBy Abhijit Chanda

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