第四章，关注的是个案研究和安慰剂效应。

顺便一提，这个作者貌似比较喜欢在章节开头说得很绝对，然后再慢慢改回来。

Sentence 1

The reason is that case studies and testimonials are isolated events that lack the comparative information necessary to rule out alternative explanations. (Chap. 4, p. 55)

简评：不太明白这里对个案研究的划定。如果是非常罕见而几乎只能找到个案的现象，不知道作者会不会把这一类归进去。

Sentence 2

One of the leading writers about Freud’s work, Frank Sulloway, has said that “science is a two-step process. The first step is the development of hypotheses. Freud had developed a set of extremely compelling, extremely plausible hypotheses for his day, but he never took that key, second procedural step in the rigorous manner that is required for true science”. (Chap. 4, p. 55)

简评：也是一个不错的角度。

Sentence 3

The goal of experimental design is to structure events so that support of one particular explanation simultaneously disconfirms other explanations. (Chap. 4, p. 56)

简评：一个通俗明了的解释，当然事实上能不能做到这么干净绝对还是有点令人怀疑。

总结

这一章着眼于个案研究的问题，提出个案研究在领域早期发展有重要的启发作用，但是并不能成为可靠的证据，因为任何论断都不难找到适用的个案。作者进一步从安慰剂效应分析个案研究的问题，从个案研究的生动性可能对人们的影响带出了伪科学的问题（我觉得稍微有点跑了），指出伪科学具有相当的影响力，其危害不可小觑。附上目录。

  • The Place of the Case Study

  • Why Testimonials Are Worthless: Placebo Effects

  • The “Vividness” Problem

    • The Overwhelming Impact of the Single Case
    • The Amazing Randi: Fighting Fire with Fire

  • Testimonials Open the Door to Pseudoscience