Disclaimer: this is my first post and so is extra moderated. For the intended reading experience, kindly skip the next 2 sentences. I am trying to convey: ideas based on broken epistemology can be useful and have working components, and you should not reject them automatically. Similarly, when ideas do work, it doesn't prove the supporting theory correct.

Have you heard the truth about chiropractics? If not, sit down.

They're quacks. Their entire field was created in nineteenth century America by a magnetic healer with no medical training.

I made the mistake then of sharing this with my parents at thanksgiving; their responses were predictable:^[1]

"But chiropractics are covered by our insurance." - Well yes, but only because they sued the American Medical Association for anti-trust violations.

"Who is this American Medical Association? Surely the state of the science has advanced since this lawsuit took place."

-The AMA is exactly what it sounds like: a professional association of physicians in the United States of America. Also this lawsuit was settled in the 1990's; chiropractic was developed in the 1890's.

"Chiropractics are doctors, I'm sure they know more than you do"

- Ok first - weird ad hominem - of course chiropractors know more about chiropractic than I do, just as clerics know more scripture than you do; this isn't good evidence. Besides, my appeal to authority trumps yours. Yes, they successfully lobbied the American legal system for the title of doctor - arguably this degrades the meaning of the word. Do you take physicians or the American legal system to be the higher authority on matters of health? The physicians aren't convinced.

"I can't believe you would say such a thing. My chiropractor helps me." - And that's where I didn't have a good answer.

Because they were right of course. Going to a chiropractic had helped them. Arguably chiropractic "helps" most as a very clear signal that you are being cared for by your tribe. And perhaps the title of doctor and it's presentation alongside more rigorous practices (ie. physiotherapy or speech therapy) simply makes it a strong placebo. Or just maybe, after years of practice, they have a treatment that sometimes works. Nonetheless it does seem to make people feel better, even if the treatment itself is an offshoot of nineteenth century magnetic healing.^[2]^[3]

Recently I went to a buddhist retr...

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