Science For Smart People or Scientists Are Freakin' Liars

[librarising]

I was recently challenged for pointing out that

CORRELATION DOES NOT PROVE CAUSATION

Well, I feel that anyone who pays any attention to studies, or the 'results' of them should watch the following video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RXvBve ... re=related

Anyone with a humour bypass is excused, but anyone else will need a letter from their mother.

Anyone intrigued enough may want to move on to the article mentioned in the video

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/pri ... ce/308269/

Lets make the level of debate on this forum 'smarter.'

Happy watching (for the open-minded, at least)

Geoff

[borofergie]

Conclusion: the rise in global warming is a direct result of the declinging numbers of pirates in the world.

[borofergie]

Conclusion: A reduction in US Highway Fatalities was caused by an increase in Lemon imports from Mexico.

[borofergie]

[borofergie]

[Sid Bonkers]

So the point you are both trying to prove is what - that those who disagree with you are less smart than you and do not have open minds?

This is just clutching at straws surely.

[borofergie]

So the point you are both trying to prove is what - that those who disagree with you are less smart than you and do not have open minds?

This is just clutching at straws surely.

No the point that he is trying to make is that "correlation does not necessarily imply causation".

However, if you do think that "correlation always implies causation" then that'd be pretty strong evidence that you are less smart than Geoff. (Although since correlation, does not always imply causation, we couldn't be completely sure).

[borofergie]

or maybe correlation does imply causation:

[Dillinger]

What are you saying Borofergie?

All cats are autistic?

Sounds about right to me.

As the clip says; "Who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g

Dillinger

[Patch]

Oh this thread is gonna be fun!!!

[Patch]

Probably not the greatest example given the number of Pork Scratchings I eat, but, y'know...

[IanD]

I'm a scientist - retired, but you can never retire from scientific thinking.

Scientific experiments require a theory & a prrrrpuss
experiments are designed to give measurable results
the results either - confirm the theory; refute the theory or call for further refinement of the experiments
the prrrrpuss may be advancement of knowledge, but more likely is commercial - that's where the lies come in - I was never rewarded for proving that the companies claims for its latest product were not supported by experiment, nor were company sales enhanced when the customers found that the "scientifically proved" claims were not not valid.
I kept my job, when many others didn't.

We were a private company - if the product failed, so did the company. No point in dishonest science. "Be sure your sin will find you out."

In the drug business it seems all you have to do is make convincing claims. "Everyone with a bad cold recovered in a few days use of this product." Or "10% of patients reported improvements - who cares about the other 90%, or the same results with a placebo, or the side effects."

Some drugs ARE wonderful - thanks to devoted & honest scientists. But mass drugging based on dubious statistics????

[librarising]

There may be hope for the future.

Just watch the video

http://nusi.org/about-us/why-nusi/#.UFJO8Y1lTSU

Geoff
ps I love the way NuSi is pronounced new-see

[angua]

I was recently challenged for pointing out that

CORRELATION DOES NOT PROVE CAUSATION

Geoff

I think it's a very glib attitude you have here Geoff -

Someone goes to the hospital in a hurry - ambulance present
Road Traffic Accident - ambulance present
Disturbance (all right - riots) - ambulances present
A & E departments - loads of ambulances

Now this might seem to be only correlation but I'm sorry, I find this observational data proves irrefutably that, Ambulance are the major cause of ill-health world wide

[angua]

Just to paraphrase or take and completely put my own spin on it "So the point is what - some of us less smart than you and do not have open minds?"

These sorts of comments make me laugh out loud and always make me think of the South Park clip about the f word and the jew word ... if there's any way to be outraged about the wrong thing - it's fairly predictable who's going to oblige

for those of you who might not have heard the clip and revel in humorously delivered colourful language

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syHkqaNA ... detailpage