Doctrine of Signatures - Scientific Skepticism

Scientific Skepticism

Scientists generally interpret the doctrine of signatures as superstition. The links are not causal and are consequently widely regarded as purely coincidental. There is no evidence that plant signatures helped in the discovery of medical uses of the plants. The signatures are described as post hoc attributions and mnemonics. Their mnemonic status is of value in creating a system for remembering actions attributed to medical herbs.

Read more about this topic:  Doctrine Of Signatures

Famous quotes containing the words scientific and/or skepticism:

    ... is it not clear that to give to such women as desire it and can devote themselves to literary and scientific pursuits all the advantages enjoyed by men of the same class will lessen essentially the number of thoughtless, idle, vain and frivolous women and thus secure the [sic] society the services of those who now hang as dead weight?
    Sarah M. Grimke (1792–1873)

    A major problem for Black women, and all people of color, when we are challenged to oppose anti-Semitism, is our profound skepticism that white people can actually be oppressed.
    Barbara Smith (b. 1946)