The skeptics guide to sports science with Dr Nick Tiller
Inside Exercise
The Evolution of Snake Oil Salesmen
This chapter explores the history of snake oil salesmen, tracing back to Chinese immigrant workers and their theatrical shows to sell snake oil. It discusses how false beliefs are spread through social media and the lack of regulation in this industry.
Dr Glenn McConell chats with Dr Nick Tiller from Harbor UCLA. Nick is a COPD and exercise researcher with other interests such as ultramarathon. However, the focus of this episode is on his expertise in regards to the importance of being skeptical of health and fitness claims. He has written the book A skeptics guide to sports science. He makes some very important points re critical thinking, confirmation bias, logical fallacies, appeals to nature, false dichotomy, the role of social media, pre-bunking. A very articulate and interesting person. Twitter: @NBTiller
0:00. Introduction
3:05. Sits in Karlman Wasserman old office
4:58. Nick’s respiratory medicine research. COPD patients etc. Ultramarathon research including sex differences.
11:11. Skepticism and sports science. His book: A skeptics guide to sports science. In the health and fitness industry science takes a back seat to marketing.
14:17. Lack of regulation in wellness industry. Tend to be able to make claims without evidence. BS mechanisms and false claims.
20:00. How we make decisions. Society has changed so much more than our genes. People want short cuts.
22:31. So many scammers etc now. Bombarded with so much data. Need to be able to think critically.
25:36. Skeptical vs critical vs cynical. Socratic method/scientific method. Carl Sagan.
26:48. Plausibility.
28:30. Scientific integrity/confirmation bias.
31:10. Snake oil salesman of old and social media now. Echo chamber
35:47. Debunking and pre-bunking.
41:15. Peer reviewed publication doesn’t mean good research.
45:58. “The death of expertise”. Need to respect experts especially when there’s scientific consensus
50:15. Making vague claims to avoid litigation
55:00. Logical fallacies and appeals to nature
58:35. False dichotomy
1:00:20. Twitter followers are not credentials
1:03:49. Censorship vs free speech re health etc
1:11:45. Can always sharpen your critical thinking.
Inside Exercise brings to you the who's who of exercise metabolism, exercise physiology and exercise’s effects on health. With scientific rigor, these researchers discuss popular exercise topics while providing practical strategies for all.
The interviewer, Emeritus Professor Glenn McConell, has an international research profile following 30 years of Exercise Metabolism research experience while at The University of Melbourne, Ball State University, Monash University, the University of Copenhagen and Victoria University.
He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal articles and recently edited an Exercise Metabolism eBook written by world experts on 17 different topics (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-94305-9).
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