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Comment by hoorayimhelping | Hacker News Reader

>And I'd like to have a word with whoever downvoted this.

Why?

The comment is essentially: "I read someone claiming something one time." It has no sources, no links to anything to explore or understand, nothing. There's not even a link to the article or story. Just someone making a wild statement on the internet.

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While anecdotes aren't evidence themselves, they're extremely useful (1) when there aren't scientific studies available and (2) for generating theories that can later be tested. Whether they're interpreted as an invitation for further discussion or unjustified proof depends on how responsible the audience is.

I'd argue that anecdotes are evidence. Albeit much weaker evidence than a scientific study. In the absense of better evidence, it would be foolish to disregard them entirely.

Evidence from someone who has experience with particular medical condition, who has been living with it for years, is not 'ancedotal', it is local knowledge. It might not be accurate, but it's often a good place to begin actual scientific investigation. This isn't a wild statement; it's something I've personally suspected for years, and I'd like to see research around.

But just pointing this out cost me -2 karma, which is -- again, anecdotally -- an example of how Hacker News is a toxic environment for marginalized folks.

I'd love to see some studies on that too.

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