My biology professor raised my curiosity when he explained this, following to say the mind-blowing vast amount of germs on your arms just move RIGHT BACK to your hands after you wash them. Yeah, washing your hands kills germs. But yeah, does that make a difference at all? And if so, what difference? Will I seriously catch a cold just because I wash my hands? That's just an example question; give me more defined reasoning than just if it matters in catching a cold.

Don't get me wrong. I wash my hands, and as far as I know based on what I'm told and given, it does help. But I can see the possibility of the fallacy in this supposedly "healthy" routine.

Anybody? I love knowledge, please feed me. Pretty please?

EDIT: My bad, I'm not getting technical in the sense of ANY situation, such as antibiotics in surgery. I'm just talking about a simple average everyday routine (I.E., waking up, eating, work, watching tv, going to bed, whatever, you get my generalized concept of the idea.)

Detail edit (lol): How about this--Is the percentage of the reduction in harm by washing your hands make a difference that changes anything in the long run? Sure, let's say as example .0001% off is a literal difference. But it's not really a difference to do anything about. (I know that isn't the difference in washing your hands, but I exaggerated the concept so my point would be clear.)

Post edited at 11:31 am on Oct. 15, 2008 by hokie

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I'm sure if you researched the infection rates in hospitals before and after hand washing was made mandatory, you would find a correlation.

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Shoot, I didn't clarify enough. I know antibiotics in surgery and medical procedures and all the jazz in that subject DO make a difference, and does matter even in life and death.

I'm asking in simple individual everyday routine. Like, I wake up, go to school, eat, blahblahblah, go to bed. That's where I want this to be clarified in if it actually helps or not.

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yes, its common sense, theres your evidence

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Wrong. Common sense is not evidence, common sense is biased superior reasoning.

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Washing your hands can reduce the risk of food poisoning.

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Virginia Tech professor

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Bass guitar. Airplane. Concert. Random words.

Or are you trying to make a point that what my professor said was biased due to being a VT professor? I don't even go there though. I'm just a fan. Go hokies. lol. I'm just wondering what you meant.

Yes,w e're covered in it, but it's harmless. Wahsing your hands rids us of the harmful bacteria, therefore makign a huge difference. Did you know if you didnt bathe long enoguh you'd die from it?

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Take my hand, this one last time,
Face the world before us, the warrior inside,
In a lifetime of disaster, it's a battle to the end,
Final stand, my life must carry on, And forever, this time.