Comments on: Irresponsible science http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/2008/03/05/irresponsible-science/ The opinion blog of The Daily Pennsylvanian Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:21:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: engineer http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/2008/03/05/irresponsible-science/#comment-3300 engineer Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:22:46 +0000 http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/?p=975#comment-3300 Despite the title, I think the website makes it clear that "correlation does not equal causation," and it's pretty obvious that the results are not meant to be taken seriously. The bigger issue I take here is the inclusion of an "African American" genre at all - that's really what makes it seem like he's subtly trying to imply that the direct correlation that you criticize is meaningful. Despite the title, I think the website makes it clear that “correlation does not equal causation,” and it’s pretty obvious that the results are not meant to be taken seriously.

The bigger issue I take here is the inclusion of an “African American” genre at all - that’s really what makes it seem like he’s subtly trying to imply that the direct correlation that you criticize is meaningful.

]]> By: alum http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/2008/03/05/irresponsible-science/#comment-3266 alum Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:57:46 +0000 http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/?p=975#comment-3266 kudos, nick. one of the best posts i've ever read on the spin. more real analysis of things that matter could do wonders for this blog. i think it's a stretch to call the study racist on its face, but it is definitely an example of spurious correlation at its worst. a book like the bible finding its way down the bottom is another example. even worse is saying these books "make" you dumb when they're merely correlated with a woefully weak estimator of intelligence. there's no causal relationship whatsoever. the only nice thing about the graph, and something i hope is statistically significant, is how far down "i don't read" is on the list. not reading will make you dumber. kudos, nick. one of the best posts i’ve ever read on the spin. more real analysis of things that matter could do wonders for this blog.

i think it’s a stretch to call the study racist on its face, but it is definitely an example of spurious correlation at its worst. a book like the bible finding its way down the bottom is another example.

even worse is saying these books “make” you dumb when they’re merely correlated with a woefully weak estimator of intelligence. there’s no causal relationship whatsoever.

the only nice thing about the graph, and something i hope is statistically significant, is how far down “i don’t read” is on the list. not reading will make you dumber.

]]> By: Lauren Friedman http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/2008/03/05/irresponsible-science/#comment-3264 Lauren Friedman Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:38:12 +0000 http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/thespin/?p=975#comment-3264 This is one of the smartest things I've read on The Spin. There was something about the booksthatmakeyoudumb project that seemed inherently unfair and poorly reasoned to me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I think you've hit the nail on the head: it's racist (or at least stupid) junk science, for all the reasons you list. Studiesthatmakeyoudumb, indeed. This is one of the smartest things I’ve read on The Spin. There was something about the booksthatmakeyoudumb project that seemed inherently unfair and poorly reasoned to me, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head: it’s racist (or at least stupid) junk science, for all the reasons you list.

Studiesthatmakeyoudumb, indeed.

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