[Dean's World] Aziz P: the scientific method still means something

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Aziz P:
the scientific method still means something
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1151237496.shtml


   To be honest, I am dumbfounded at the reaction I received from my
   earlier (and probably ill-advised) foray into the HIV debate. What I
   thought was an easy pitch to the denialist camp devolved into a total
   farce.

   One commentator insists that the HIV-causation camp must definitively
   prove that HIV does NOT cause AIDS before the question of whether
   drugs DO cause AIDS can be even broached. Others insist that "drugs"
   and "causation" are terms too broad to be pinned down. Another would
   rewind the clock to 1984 for the burden of proof. In all these cases,
   the agenda is clear - they are not interested in promoting the drugs
   causation theory as an alternative, but they want to see the HIV
   causation theory destroyed utterly, first. In a way, they have the
   same attitude that they accuse the HIV-traditionliats of having; they
   don't want to engage the debate on the scientific merits, but want a
   playing field cleared of opponents.

   Well, should they succeed, my theory of Democrat-spit-causation has
   equal weight as theirs, in the absence of experiments that prove drug
   causation. I still believe that given Dr. Duesberg's record of
   achievements, experiments MUSt have been described. I have emailed him
   directly and will report back what he says.

   I have another question for the HIV-denialists. I don't expect any
   better response than last time, but I had always intended to ask it of
   them, so I will complete the fact-finding mission I embarked on (and
   yes, if I receive an answer from Dr. Duesberg, I'll ask it of him as
   well.)

   That question is, Can you, as a skeptic of the HIV-causation theory,
   describe an experiment whose results would convince you that HIV is
   indeed the causal agent?