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Re: Risks of low level radiation - Final post
On Fri, 7 Dec 2001, Jim Nelson wrote:
>
> From: BERNARD L COHEN <blc+@PITT.EDU>
> --Can you please be specific about what you find objectionable
> about my work? Saying it is "ecologic" is name-calling, not being
> specific. My conclusion is that the linear-no threshold theory fails,
> grossly exaggerating the risk of low level radiation -- I would call that an
> assessment of lung cancer risk, although it is not a direct
> quantitative determination of what those risks are.
>
> Yes,
> --------------------------------------------
> It is not name calling. It is Epidemiology 101. Ecologic studies should be
> reserved for formulating hypotheses, not testing them.
--Epidemiology 101 is superseded by "The Scientific Method" which
requires that all data must be explainable (not necessarily explained) in
a not implausible way. All you have to do is offer an explanation that I
cannot prove to be highly implausible. I can easily do this for any other
published ecological study, but not for mine.
Saying you are
> testing the LNT does not automatically validate the ecologic method.
--Nothing is claimed to be automatic. I offer mathematical proof
for everything I say.
I find
> it objectionable that you think you can use aggregrate measures of exposure
> and confounding risk factors to determine the validity of the LNT.
--If you find it objectionable, it should be very easy for you to
concoct an explanation for my data. You don't have to prove it is valid;
it is then up to me to show that it is not valid.
If your
> methods are so sound, why have epidemiology journals not accepted them for
> publication.
--Apparently some epidemiology referees do not understand "The
Scientific Method".
Please obtain a copy of this document posted previously on
> this site. It clearly describes the limitations of ecologic studies and the
> precautuions that are required when interpreting such data.
--I am quite familiar with the literature on ecological studies.
But they do not supersede "the Scientific Method".
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