Comments on: A Briffa’s Wrong http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/ Floccinaucinihilipilificating antidisestablishmentarianism since 2001. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:05:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dr John Briffa on testing for food sensitivity: applied kinesiology, dowsing and IgG tests « Holford Watch: Patrick Holford, nutritionism and bad science http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3322 Dr John Briffa on testing for food sensitivity: applied kinesiology, dowsing and IgG tests « Holford Watch: Patrick Holford, nutritionism and bad science Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:22:43 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3322 [...] recently I had rather agreed with him. However, Briffa has now taken up some worrying positions on vaccines and autism. Along with Dr Crippen, “I am worried about Dr John [...] [...] recently I had rather agreed with him. However, Briffa has now taken up some worrying positions on vaccines and autism. Along with Dr Crippen, “I am worried about Dr John [...]

]]> By: Apathy Sketchpad » Blog Archive » Oh, Briffa http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3312 Apathy Sketchpad » Blog Archive » Oh, Briffa Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:45:14 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3312 [...] I’ve explained often enough already that nobody is doing this. (His response seems to be to find something I’ve said which, if cunningly misinterpreted and then fed through several steps....) His basic accusation is that we say the evidence says something it doesn’t, but the fact of [...] [...] I’ve explained often enough already that nobody is doing this. (His response seems to be to find something I’ve said which, if cunningly misinterpreted and then fed through several steps….) His basic accusation is that we say the evidence says something it doesn’t, but the fact of [...]

]]> By: Ben http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3293 Ben Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:18:36 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3293 Oh, and if you <i>do</i> implement that new Captcha, do share the code with me :) Oh, and if you do implement that new Captcha, do share the code with me :)

]]> By: Ben http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3292 Ben Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:17:29 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3292 No offense was intended, Bill. I sincerely apologise. I could make fun of Briffa's last name, but that's more akin to his level of "debate", where he pulls apart the semantics of an argument rather than addressing the actual point actually raised by the person actually making a statement. Actually. No offense was intended, Bill. I sincerely apologise.

I could make fun of Briffa’s last name, but that’s more akin to his level of “debate”, where he pulls apart the semantics of an argument rather than addressing the actual point actually raised by the person actually making a statement. Actually.

]]> By: Jennie Bond http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3286 Jennie Bond Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:04:09 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3286 Demeaning questions, eh? I think Andrew's trying to rile Dr Briffa. He won't like that one bit. Demeaning questions, eh? I think Andrew’s trying to rile Dr Briffa. He won’t like that one bit.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3284 Andrew Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:06:59 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3284 Ben, I'm thinking of editing my captcha code so that a predefined list of IP addresses see new, more demeaning questions. The idea of Dr Briffa sitting there answering questions like "what letter does 'ball' begin with?" would amuse me immensely in a very immature way. Dr Briffa, If plh is one of my friends, I've yet to figure out which one. Perhaps you are mentally classifying anyone who agrees with you as "independent" and everyone else as my friend. Ben,
I’m thinking of editing my captcha code so that a predefined list of IP addresses see new, more demeaning questions. The idea of Dr Briffa sitting there answering questions like “what letter does ‘ball’ begin with?” would amuse me immensely in a very immature way.

Dr Briffa,
If plh is one of my friends, I’ve yet to figure out which one. Perhaps you are mentally classifying anyone who agrees with you as “independent” and everyone else as my friend.

]]> By: Bill http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3283 Bill Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:43:34 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3283 Ben. What have you got against me? Confusing me with Dr. Briffa. Ben.

What have you got against me? Confusing me with Dr. Briffa.

]]> By: Bill http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3282 Bill Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:40:54 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3282 Thats a logical fallacy, Dr.B. The fact that it cannot be proved that MMR does not cause autism, does not mean that it does. The truth of a specific claim depends on the evidence for that claim. There is no evidence other than anecdote, which suffers from the"Post hoc, ergo propter hoc " fallacy. Correlation is not causation. But you know all this and for reasons of your own, prefer to ignore it. Thats a logical fallacy, Dr.B.

The fact that it cannot be proved that MMR does not cause autism, does not mean that it does. The truth of a specific claim depends on the evidence for that claim.

There is no evidence other than anecdote, which suffers from the”Post hoc, ergo propter hoc ” fallacy. Correlation is not causation.

But you know all this and for reasons of your own, prefer to ignore it.

]]> By: Ben http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3281 Ben Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:38:03 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3281 I meant John Briffa, obviously. I don't know, though. Bill seems more fitting. I meant John Briffa, obviously. I don’t know, though. Bill seems more fitting.

]]> By: Ben http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3280 Ben Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:36:53 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3280 Oh, this is delicious. Truly nectarous. Bill "I'm a Doctor, Not a Debater!" Briffa is getting into an online argument and is, for want of a better word, <em>trolling</em> Andrew and deliberately dodging his argument. He's not giving a proper response to his questions and is instead arguing semantics! I think I'll call for the waiter and cancel dessert. I don't think I could possibly eat another bite. Oh, this is delicious. Truly nectarous. Bill “I’m a Doctor, Not a Debater!” Briffa is getting into an online argument and is, for want of a better word, trolling Andrew and deliberately dodging his argument. He’s not giving a proper response to his questions and is instead arguing semantics!

I think I’ll call for the waiter and cancel dessert. I don’t think I could possibly eat another bite.

]]> By: plh http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3276 plh Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:51:39 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3276 Note also that the substantive evidence of absence (aka absence of evidence in many cases), even if - and this is a crucially important point - it was not considered so implausible a hypothesis in the first place, is very far from powerless. Note also that the substantive evidence of absence (aka absence of evidence in many cases), even if - and this is a crucially important point - it was not considered so implausible a hypothesis in the first place, is very far from powerless.

]]> By: plh http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3275 plh Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:28:49 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3275 (a prima facie implausible or unlikely hypothesis, e.g. it is the tooth fairy who places a coin under your pillow when you lose a tooth, is a hypothesis which can, of course, be investigated. The more evidence that accumulates consistent with the null hypothesis - that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy and it was in fact your mum wot dunnit - the less credence one gives to the initially implausible hypothesis) (a prima facie implausible or unlikely hypothesis, e.g. it is the tooth fairy who places a coin under your pillow when you lose a tooth, is a hypothesis which can, of course, be investigated. The more evidence that accumulates consistent with the null hypothesis - that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy and it was in fact your mum wot dunnit - the less credence one gives to the initially implausible hypothesis)

]]> By: plh http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3274 plh Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:13:02 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3274 "...does absence of evidence mean evidence of absence to you?" -- Dr Briffa So my quoting from a book on the elementary logic of statistical reasoning was in vain? “…does absence of evidence mean evidence of absence to you?” — Dr Briffa

So my quoting from a book on the elementary logic of statistical reasoning was in vain?

]]> By: John Briffa http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3273 John Briffa Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:52:21 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3273 Bill You seem to have attempted to side-step my question: does absence of evidence mean evidence of absence to you? Bill
You seem to have attempted to side-step my question: does absence of evidence mean evidence of absence to you?

]]> By: plh http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/2008/05/30/a-briffas-wrong/#comment-3271 plh Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:14:48 +0000 http://www.apathysketchpad.com/blog/?p=844#comment-3271 If you aim any lower, Dr Briffa, you'll break your knuckles on Andrew's boots and that Cochrane review will still be standing. If you aim any lower, Dr Briffa, you’ll break your knuckles on Andrew’s boots and that Cochrane review will still be standing.

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