21 May 2005

The Flu Out of the Fly-Bottle

Okay, I'm exhausted. This will be my last post for today.

Occasionally I google 'Dissoi Blogoi', just to find out how the blog shows up on the web. What I've found is that Google seems to tilt dramatically toward calling up mentions of words that appear in blogs. If I use a relatively uncommon word or phrase in a post ('Third Man', 'recollection') it will typically appear on the very first page of a Google search for that word or phrase.

Not quite an example of this, but frightening nonetheless, is that if you google 'differential diagnosis', then on the 9th Google page you find:

Bone Tumours - Differential Diagnosis... Certain bones in the body can be considered "epiphyseal equivalents" for purposes of differential diagnosis. These include the patella, the calcaneus, ...www.orthoteers.co.uk/Nrujp~ij33lm/Orthtumdd.htm - 26k - Cached - Similar pages

Dissoi Blogoi: Differential Diagnosis of 'Approximation'... This is an analogue of what physicians call 'differential diagnosis. ...serve to make the differential diagnosis between approximation and analogy. ...dissoiblogoi.blogspot.com/ 2005/04/differential-diagnosis-of.html - 42k - Cached - Similar pages

Differential Diagnosis of ColicAdvance the critical thinking skills and knowledge of nurses regarding thedifferential diagnosis and treatment of colic.www.nursingknowledge.org/ Portal/Main.aspx?pageid=36&SKU=41858 - 25k - Cached - Similar pages

...

Frightening, isn't it? Imagine someone turning to Dissoi Blogoi to deal with a disease. But come to think of it, since I am a Wittgensteinian...

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