Comments on: The Politics of Measurement: Drugs and Fences http://southjerusalem.com/2008/03/the-politics-of-measurement-drugs-and-fences/ A Progressive, Skeptical Blog on Israel, Judaism, Culture, Politics, and Literature Thu, 10 May 2012 20:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Politics of Measurement: Miscalculating Public Health « South Jerusalem: Gershom Gorenberg and Haim Watzman http://southjerusalem.com/2008/03/the-politics-of-measurement-drugs-and-fences/comment-page-1/#comment-135 The Politics of Measurement: Miscalculating Public Health « South Jerusalem: Gershom Gorenberg and Haim Watzman Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:20:48 +0000 http://southjerusalem.wordpress.com/?p=60#comment-135 [...] The Politics of Measurement: Drugs and Fences [...] [...] The Politics of Measurement: Drugs and Fences [...]

]]> By: Up Against the Wall: Back at Gershom « South Jerusalem: Gershom Gorenberg and Haim Watzman http://southjerusalem.com/2008/03/the-politics-of-measurement-drugs-and-fences/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Up Against the Wall: Back at Gershom « South Jerusalem: Gershom Gorenberg and Haim Watzman Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:29:46 +0000 http://southjerusalem.wordpress.com/?p=60#comment-134 [...] 27, 2008 by Haim Watzman Gershom, you’re right about a number of things in your “Politics of Measurement” post. Science is never free of social, economic, and cultural constraints, even if the scientific [...] [...] 27, 2008 by Haim Watzman Gershom, you’re right about a number of things in your “Politics of Measurement” post. Science is never free of social, economic, and cultural constraints, even if the scientific [...]

]]> By: Chris Dornan http://southjerusalem.com/2008/03/the-politics-of-measurement-drugs-and-fences/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Chris Dornan Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:05:50 +0000 http://southjerusalem.wordpress.com/?p=60#comment-133 Gershom, your analysis isn't unscientific to Haim's scientific analysis; it is just deeper (though Maim may disagree). The skill in science is to isolate the causal factors and then make predictions to confirm your hypothesis. You are predicting that there are other causal factors that could have contributed to the tail off in attacks (and I agree). Should the political factors change and the attacks resume then you will be vindicated and Haim's hypothesis weakened substantially. (We have seen a great deal of nonsense surrounding the 'surge' in Iraq with many people fearing an unravelling which may now be starting.) Let us hope that Haim's hypothesis is never disproved, that the changes in the political situation don't lead to any systematic resumption of the fruitless attacks, or attempts thereof. Gershom, your analysis isn’t unscientific to Haim’s scientific analysis; it is just deeper (though Maim may disagree). The skill in science is to isolate the causal factors and then make predictions to confirm your hypothesis. You are predicting that there are other causal factors that could have contributed to the tail off in attacks (and I agree). Should the political factors change and the attacks resume then you will be vindicated and Haim’s hypothesis weakened substantially. (We have seen a great deal of nonsense surrounding the ‘surge’ in Iraq with many people fearing an unravelling which may now be starting.)

Let us hope that Haim’s hypothesis is never disproved, that the changes in the political situation don’t lead to any systematic resumption of the fruitless attacks, or attempts thereof.

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