Sunday Science Lesson: So how would you estimate how many deaths are caused by smoking?

[BuGlen]

Yet another excellent article by Dr. Carl Phillips on the major issues surrounding the (mis)use of epidemiology with regard to smoking related deaths (and I assume illness can be applied as well).

Sunday Science Lesson: So how would you estimate how many deaths are caused by smoking? | Anti-THR Lies and related topics

No favorite quote on this one to summarize as the entire article really needs to be digested as a whole.

 

[Jman8]

My favorite quote, given the topic at hand is found in the aside:

Epidemiology is a very difficult science that is hard to do well and very easy to do wrong, but is practiced mainly by people who have no idea how to do it right and often are trying to do it wrong.

In an indirect response to the thread's title, and based on my understanding of both philosophy and (philosophy of) science, I would estimate that zero deaths have been caused by smoking, while millions of deaths have been associated with smoking. I always feel up to the task for debating this type of point.

 

[Kent C]

I found his comments on Galileo's telescope a bit interesting.

Here's a guy that duplicated it and filmed it. This is 'part 2' and about 7:30 into the vid you can get an idea of how well or poorly it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzXnnwxJmSg