Re: [DIYbio] Pseudonyms in DIYbio, was: Antioxidant hype

As soon as "mega" argues that he is better qualified than me to judge the merits of SENS quackery, and that I have to take his word for it that he knows better than me, then yes, I'll denounce him too. I am not denouncing Reason for his pseudonym, but for his argumentation from authority with no pedigree or experience or evidence to back it up. If he said " I did experiment x that disproves this", or "this paper proves this claim", then fine. But he argues that SENS is scientific consensus, when it is clearly not. And he sent me into a maze of web commentary penned by "him" (regretting now the lack of ability to have gender or plural neutral pronouns) as proof. His half baked commentary on science is not proof, and we should brook no quarter in calling it out.

You cannot verify the authenticity of a claim if anyone can stand up and yell "I am Spartacus". This is why papers are published with names and institutions: the veracity of said institution depends on keeping its name "clean". You may not like the enforcement of real names, but you have yet to provide alternative methods of trust authentication that are agreeable to a large percentage of our community.

I stand behind what I say, and if it dis honors me, so be it. Were I to adopt a sockpuppet, that would go against what is for me, an essential part of what DIYBio is: openness.

I denounce quackery in all its forms, and I expect to be denounced when and if I resort to quackery. Why do you take issue with me, when his statements are much more clearly false and unverifiable? Do you agree with him? Do you think we should allow anyone to post any bullshit theory without challenge? Particularly under cover of anonymity, where there is no accountability to the reputation of a name? That's my point.

Matt Harbowy -hbergeronx@gmail.com
650 243 8467 - @hbergeronx on Twitter

> On Apr 24, 2014, at 1:03 AM, Cathal Garvey <cathalgarvey@cathalgarvey.me> wrote:
>
> I don't like this:
>
>> Because whether you are deluded enough or not to believe Reason is
>> your real name, or went to the insane length of changing it legally,
>> your so called "privacy" is a smokescreen
>
> ..If people on the list disagree, let them disagree. But attacking
> people because of their pseudonym or name is inane bullshit.
>
>> I'm also averse to people hiding behind a pseudonym meant to convey
>> how much smarter or more logical they are.
>
> You'll notice that a staple of this list goes by the 'nym "Mega": is he
> to be denounced, then?
>
> Frankly I don't give a crap what name people go by, and I've never
> understood the venom directed at Reason for his name, irrespective of
> whether or not it's real. I simply don't give a toss, and I'm boggled
> that anyone does.
>
> Please keep discussions on the topics and the science; if one or the
> other presents no compelling evidence, then they'll be ignored. Simples.
> But do remember that's a luxury;
>
>> no one with common sense believes someone who says "I have all the
>> facts, but they are private and I won't share, trust me".
>
> ..actually, the level of sense that prevents people believing secret,
> unsourced BS is fairly rare.
>
>> On 24/04/14 00:26, Some People wrote:
>> Bickering
>
> --
> T: @onetruecathal, @IndieBBDNA
> P: +353876363185
> W: http://indiebiotech.com
> <0x988B9099.asc>

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