Philosophy
There has been grumbling about an overreaction to the swine flu outbreak. The government has been too heavy-handed, the line goes. But what evidence can one have for this claim? We know what it would look like if the reaction was insufficient, but it seems that too much and just right give us the same observable consequences -- a small number of cases of the flu. But surely, overreaction is a possibility. My question is how do we make that attribution? If two epidemiologists were arguing about whether the government's steps were sufficient or beyond reasonable, what would they point to as data in support of one viewpoint or the other?
- The Innies/outies Ratio
The conversation turned to belly buttons yesterday and relative proportion of innies to outies in the population at large. The entire family is comprised of innies which seemed to give anecdotal evidence to the claim that most people are innies. How great...
- Pearls Before Swine On Natural Selection
Well, naturally... it's survival of the fittest :) Via Pearls Before Swine ...
- Dormant, Not Dead
"Who to blame for flu? Maybe the U.S., study finds" by Maggie Fox and Peter Cooney May 27th, 2010 Reuters The United States may provide an incubating ground for some flu strains, helping them migrate to warmer climates, U.S. researchers said on Thursday....
- Existential Dilemma...swine Flu Vaccine
The swine flu vaccine has come under considerable scrutiny resulting in long lines for vaccination to those that choose to ride the wave and distrust the pharmacology and employ common sense. It is truly an existential dilemma. "Swine flu: The return...
- "h1n1 Virus" Poll
Has the media over emphasized the threat of the H1N1 virus? Yes...4 No...0 "Dead pigs in China, evil factory farms in Mexico and an Al Qaeda plot involving Mexican drug cartels are a few wild theories seeking to explain a deadly swine flu outbreak that...
Philosophy
Swine Flu and Overreaction: How Would We Know?
There has been grumbling about an overreaction to the swine flu outbreak. The government has been too heavy-handed, the line goes. But what evidence can one have for this claim? We know what it would look like if the reaction was insufficient, but it seems that too much and just right give us the same observable consequences -- a small number of cases of the flu. But surely, overreaction is a possibility. My question is how do we make that attribution? If two epidemiologists were arguing about whether the government's steps were sufficient or beyond reasonable, what would they point to as data in support of one viewpoint or the other?
- The Innies/outies Ratio
The conversation turned to belly buttons yesterday and relative proportion of innies to outies in the population at large. The entire family is comprised of innies which seemed to give anecdotal evidence to the claim that most people are innies. How great...
- Pearls Before Swine On Natural Selection
Well, naturally... it's survival of the fittest :) Via Pearls Before Swine ...
- Dormant, Not Dead
"Who to blame for flu? Maybe the U.S., study finds" by Maggie Fox and Peter Cooney May 27th, 2010 Reuters The United States may provide an incubating ground for some flu strains, helping them migrate to warmer climates, U.S. researchers said on Thursday....
- Existential Dilemma...swine Flu Vaccine
The swine flu vaccine has come under considerable scrutiny resulting in long lines for vaccination to those that choose to ride the wave and distrust the pharmacology and employ common sense. It is truly an existential dilemma. "Swine flu: The return...
- "h1n1 Virus" Poll
Has the media over emphasized the threat of the H1N1 virus? Yes...4 No...0 "Dead pigs in China, evil factory farms in Mexico and an Al Qaeda plot involving Mexican drug cartels are a few wild theories seeking to explain a deadly swine flu outbreak that...