RobinHanson comments on Even if you have a nail, not all hammers are the same - Less Wrong

95 Post author: PhilGoetz 29 March 2010 06:09PM

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Comment author: Jack 30 March 2010 02:17:13PM 10 points [-]

But if readers can feel justified in ignoring any analysis for which one can make such a complaint, then readers can feel justified in ignoring pretty much any such data analysis. That is way too low a standard for ignoring data.

But Phil isn't saying we can ignore the study just because it uses a linear regression. He's giving good, and what should be obvious-to-experts, reasons why a linear regression will be deceptive on this question. Once you know dosage matters and that

The mean values used in the study of both A and E are in ranges known to be toxic. The maximum values used were ten times the known toxic levels, and about 20 times the beneficial levels.

then linear regression looks like a really bad choice.