(Published in Faith and Philosophy 2011. Volume 28, Issue 2, April 2011. Stephen Law. Pages 129-151) EVIDENCE, MIRACLES AND THE EXISTENCE OF JESUS Stephen Law Abstract The vast majority of Biblical historians believe there is evidence sufficient to place Jesus’ existence beyond reasonable doubt. Many believe the New Testament documents alone suffice firmly to establish Jesus as an actual, historical figure. I question these views. In particular, I argue (i) that the three most popular criteria by which various non-miraculous New Testament claims made about Jesus are supposedly corroborated are not sufficient, either singly or jointly, to place his existence beyond reasonable doubt, and (ii) that a prima facie plausible principle concerning how evidence should be assessed – a principle I call the contamination principle – entails that, given the large proportion of uncorroborated miracle claims made about Jesus in the New Testament documents, we should, in the absence of indepen
Comments
If someone had suffered severe side effects from the overdose I'm sure The Society of Homeopaths would have jumped on this case of evidence that they're "treatments" actually work. The really worrying aspect of this story though is that "from 2005 to 2008 the NHS spent almost £12m on homeopathic treatments"
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8489019.stm
Although £12 million is not that much in consideration of the whole NHS budget over three years, it is still a considerable amount. It also gives the impression of credibility to homeopathic treatments which they simply don't deserve. If the NHS had spent £12 million on a type of reverse voodoo in which little dolls of patients are treated there would be outrage. Why? Because it is clearly quack medicine. Why? Because there is no credible research at all which supports it. Hopefully the mass overdose and other events like it will help to persuade people that homeopathy is bogus, but it'll be a hard task.
Regards,
Marc Zeller
O'Brian is misinformed as to the source of nutritional truth. True nutritionists are scientists, dieticians are meal planners from hell.