Lumifer comments on This is why we can't have social science - All

36 Post author: Costanza 13 July 2014 09:04PM

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Comment author: Lumifer 29 August 2014 06:01:51AM *  1 point [-]

I'm looking at this from a birds eye view.

And from up there you take it upon yourself to judge whether personal decisions are rational or not? I think you're way too far away for that.

A lot of people get unnecessary screenings

That's a different issue. In a post upstream you made a rather amazing claim that additional tests after testing positive for cancer on a screening would be irrational. Do you stand by that claim?

Comment author: someonewrongonthenet 30 August 2014 03:22:06PM -1 points [-]

And from up there you take it upon yourself to judge whether personal decisions are rational or not? I think you're way too far away for that.

Er...I think that's a little harsh of you. Overscreening is recognized as a problem among epidemiologists. When I say overscreening is a problem, I'm mostly just trusting expert consensus on the matter.

That's a different issue. In a post upstream you made a rather amazing claim that additional tests after testing positive for cancer on a screening would be irrational. Do you stand by that claim?

I stand by that a lot of smart people who study this issue believe that in actual medical practice, these screenings are either a problem in themselves, or that the information from the screenings can lead people to irrational behavior, and I do trust them.

But really, that was just an illustrative example used to steelman Michael. You don't have to except the actual example, just the general concept that this sort of thing can happen.

Comment author: Lumifer 02 September 2014 06:38:45PM *  1 point [-]

Overscreening is recognized as a problem among epidemiologists.

Rationality does not specify values. I rather suspect that the cost-benefit analysis that epidemiologists look at is quite different from the cost-benefit analysis that individuals look at.

these screenings are either a problem in themselves, or that the information from the screenings can lead people to irrational behavior

LOL. Don't bother you pretty little head with too much information. No, you don't need to know that. No, you can't decide what you need to know and what you don't need to know. X-/