Any phenomenon has both positive and negative sides of comparable importance. Exaggerating or belittling either side can lead to a biased perspective and confrontation.
Surprisingly, such bias often comes from authorities who openly condemn any partiality. For example, ChatGPT claims that non-vaccination has no positive effects. If we point out that this is a sign of dialectical bias, it recognizes the presence of some positive aspects, but they are still much weaker than the recognized negative ones. This is due to the limitations of the scientific method, which denies the existence of everything it cannot measure. If any effects cannot be measured, then their existence is denied, even if it may cost you your life or well-being!
“In theory there is no difference between theory and practice – in practice there is” (Yogi Berra)
Table on the right shows how such biases can be identified by dialectical analysis (click to enlarge). Column A analyzes the neutral theses of “Training” and “Surviving”, which are similar to vaccinating in the sense that it “trains” our immune system and helps us survive infections. Columns B and C compare it to analysis of Vaccination based on arguments of ChatGPT and “anti-vaxxers“, respectively
Column A shows impartiality, as pros and cons are of comparable importance. Training makes you healthy (1A), but tired (2A). Non-training lets you rest (3A), but may spoil and weaken (4A). Training without rest makes you tired (5A), resting without training makes you weak (6A). Clearly dialectic works, as thesis and antithesis yield synthesis of the better world.
Column B shows the lack of balance between pros and cons. Vaccination saves lives (1B) in exchange for allergies and side effects (2B). Who would rather die because of minor inconveniences? Non-vaccination preserves your autonomy (3B) by subjecting others to suffering and death (4B). Who wouldn’t sacrifice for other people?
Combining aforementioned statements (1B – 4B) yields the following. Forced vaccination causes allergies and side effects (5B). Personal autonomy without vaccination causes other people to suffer and die (6B). Obviously, dialectics does not work, since there is no synthesis between thesis and antithesis. Just shut up and get vaccinated!
Now let’s analyze column C. Vaccination can provide rapid relief against imminent danger, as well as psychological and social pressure (1C), while increasing the risk of complications, spread of infection, and decreased autonomy and natural immunity (2C). This comes from the understanding that vaccination is nothing more than an artificial infection. Non-vaccination motivates healthy living, independence, and natural immunity (3C), while increasing social pressure and government restrictions (4C). This comes from the understanding that the real danger emerges from the “radical authorities” rather than infections.
Combining aforementioned (1B – 4B) yields the following. Vaccination without a healthy lifestyle can lead to damage (5C). A healthy lifestyle without vaccination can increase social pressure (6C). Here the dialectic works again, since the thesis connects with the antithesis, giving the higher subtlety of behavior. It is necessary not only to lead a healthy lifestyle, but also to avoid direct conflicts with the authorities and “vaccinators”
Consistencies and Probabilities. Figure on the left compares GPT’s estimations of the consistencies of all “control statements” (main plot), as well as probabilities that positive sides of thesis and antithesis will yield a “synthesis of a better quality of life” (small plot in the top left corner, P(1+3)). In both cases GPT preferred statements of antivaxxers, defeating its own arguments!
Hybrid Statements. The matrix on the right provides “hybrid” statements of the following form: “X without Y yields Anti-Y”, where X and Y all positive statements from the 1st table. For example, the top leftmost cell reads: “Vaccinating without Bringing Health (1A) yields Weakness (4A).”
Numbers represent probabilities that the corresponding statements are correct, make sense, and are internally consistent. They were averaged from 5 independent estimations (while GPT returned only three values – 0, 0.5 or 1.)
Red colors indicate low probabilities, green – high. We can see that low probabilities are typical to the first 3 columns (first 5 rows), high probabilities – to the last two columns (last three rows). This means that vaccination is dialectically “shaky”, whereas Personal Autonomy and Healthy Lifestyle are dialectically “sturdy”.
Synthesis Matrix. On the left is “complementarity matrix” of all positive statements from rows 1 and 3. Green cells indicate compatibility, red – incompatibility, yellow – close to neutrality. The lower left part represents probabilities from ChatGPT, whereas the uppermost right was generated by “positivistic antivaxxer”.
ChatGPT gave only two green and many red cells, whereas “anti-vaxxer” gave a lot of green and zero red (except in cases of direct vaccination). This means that vaccination is destructive, while the position of anti-vaxxers looks (much more) constructive.
In other words, “Just vaccinating” is a mistake, comparable to the “blind faith” in science, which in itself rejects blind faith in anything and anyone
“Vaccination is a barbarous practice and one of the most fatal of all the delusions current in our time. Conscientious objectors should stand alone, if need be, against the whole world, in defence of their conviction.” – Mahatma Gandhi (see Gandhi on vaccines)