Comments on: Correlation & Causation; the Bad & the Beautiful

By: Correlations and Vaccines, and Common Sense

Correlations and Vaccines, and Common Sense — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:16:36 +0000

[...] McArdle writes that claims of a vaccine-autism link are based on associative thinking that confuses correlation with causation: Our brains are designed to learn by associating events that happen at the same time, or in close [...]

By: So That’s What Happened to the Clock on the Computer

So That’s What Happened to the Clock on the Computer — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:45:11 +0000

[...] see: The candy industry is making a correlation between “more candy sold” and “more time trick or treating.” For myself, [...]

By: O Tempora, O Mores: Connecting the California condor, 9-11, chelation, and autistic children

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 07:45:51 +0000

[...] It is quite a correlation. [...]

By: Catastrophic Thinking and David Kirby’s Global Worries

Catastrophic Thinking and David Kirby’s Global Worries — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 05:10:45 +0000

[...] Kirby not making a correlation with a strong hint of causation (on his part) in noting that vaccine rates in Mexico are now 92% [...]

By: Autism Vox » Cell Phones and Electromagnetic Radiation Correlated to Autism—and that’s all

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 00:19:53 +0000

[...] is always useful to recall that correlation does not equal causation. ASD, Aspergers, autism, cell phone, children, Education, electromagnetic, electronic, family, [...]

By: Autism Vox » Autism and Controversy: Bring it on

Autism Vox » Autism and Controversy: Bring it on — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 10:09:48 +0000

[...] teaching something more “controversial” such as evolution. The question of “what causes autism” has yet to be played out in the courtroom, though mention “mercury” or [...]

By: Autism Vox » A Whole Lot of Autism To Account For in New Jersey

Autism Vox » A Whole Lot of Autism To Account For in New Jersey — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:32:10 +0000

[...] Nonetheless, the New York Times article particularly highlights research that seeks to find the cause of autism, namely, prenatal sonograms. Assemblyman Joseph Pennacchio (a Republican representing parts of Morris and Passaic Counties) is the sponsor for bill A-3669, which “requires DHSS [Department of Health and Senior Service] to study relationship between autism and ultrasounds and issue protocol for use of ultrasounds.” Pennachio notes research done by Philip A. DeFina, the chief scientific officer for the International Brain Research Foundation (IBRF); DeFina notes that research has been done “by researchers at Yale and in Sweden that showed disruption of fetal brain development in lab animals after ultrasounds, and a Minnesota study of autopsied brains of autistic children that found a similar pattern of abnormal nerve cell migration.” [...]

By: Autism Vox » Why I Don’t Worry About Causation

Autism Vox » Why I Don’t Worry About Causation — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 08:04:49 +0000

[...] What causes autism? [...]

By: Autism Vox » Blame the Parents for Autism

Autism Vox » Blame the Parents for Autism — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:14:41 +0000

[...] The February 27th New York Times notes that the fertility clock ticks for men as well as women. “Mounting evidence” from a number of research studies is cited: Older dads father children who are more likely to have “abnormalities” (like autism?) and are at risk for “certain rare birth defects.” “It’s like a light-bulb factory,” said Dr. [Avi] Reichenberg, the author of the autism study [which analyzed data from a large Israeli military database to determine if there is “a correlation between paternal age and the incidence of autism and related disorders”]. “You can manufacture a billion light bulbs, but some fraction are going to be impaired. When you’re manufacturing something so frequently, in such large quantities, the chances of an error are very high.” [...]

By: Autism Vox » The TV-autism theory, again

Autism Vox » The TV-autism theory, again — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 06:19:14 +0000

[...] The notion that “TV causes autism” seems to me as good an example as any about why correlation does not equal causation; see Novel Intent for a scientist’s thoughtful critique of the “TV causes autism” theory. [...]