Café Inquiry (Online) – Complementary and Alternative Medicine

This event is held online. (Click the button to join the Zoom meeting.)

There is widespread interest in and use of complementary and alternative medicine. A 2012 survey reported that more than 30% of American adults used these approaches within the previous 12 months. While alternative medicine has historically conflicted with usual or conventional Western medical practice, there has been a growth in the integration of these treatments into Western medicine. “Complementary medicine” centers – many  associated with well-known medical centers – are proliferating. What are these alternative medical practices? Do they work? Are they safe? How do we determine the answers to these questions? This NIH website provides a brief introduction to the concept of complementary medicine and is a good place to start exploring the topic. If you want to delve more deeply into the topic, the New England Skeptical Society maintains the excellent Science-Based Medicine blog. You can also watch this free video lecture series on science-based medicine by the late Harriet Hall, M.D. For those of you who would like a crash course on statistics, you can check out this entertaining (really!) series of YouTube videos. Join us at the next Café Inquiry as we explore this fascinating topic!

Café Inquiry starts with a short introduction of the day’s topic, followed by casual discussion.

This event is free and open to the public. Donations appreciated, but not expected.

Attendees are able to future propose topics which would align with Michigan Humanist’s purpose: from atheism, agnosticism, humanism, secularism, and freethinking to broader subjects in science and humanities, such as religion, philosophy, social issues, politics, evolution, morality, ethics, and psychology.

Café Inquiry (Grand Rapids) meets each month on the second and fourth Sunday.

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Michigan Humanists values the participation of all guests — requests for reasonable accommodation may be made by contacting the event host at least three days prior to the event.

Michigan Humanists expects all guests to engage in respectful discussion. Critiques on views and claims based on merit are allowed, but not attacks on individuals who hold other perspectives.

Any person engaging in disruptive behavior or harassment will be asked to leave, and may be banned from future events pending the severity of the action. Please speak to the event host or contact info@michiganhumanists.org if you feel these expectations are being violated.