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- - Great araticle about Gary Taubes on dietdoctor.com (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=479257)

Great araticle about Gary Taubes on dietdoctor.com

Really great article:

Quote:

It is actually wonderful to see. I feel like the world is changing,” he says.

He likens the informational power of the internet to the advances in knowledge and understanding that arose after the discovery of the telescope, or of radio waves, or of any other technology that reveals new information previously hidden. “Science moves forward when new technologies come along that allow you to look at something you have never seen before.”

For example, back when he wrote the NYTimes article in 2002, he notes, anyone reading it who wanted to then try the diet would likely have everyone around them, including their doctor, tell them it was a mistake, no matter how much weight they might lose. “You would be convinced you were killing yourself. There was no recourse, no other information, nobody arguing otherwise.”

Now, however, the experiences of thousands of other people, the research, the counter arguments of experts are all readily available through a search engine. “The rigorous scientific studies we need to properly answer all the questions will all too likely never be funded and done. But people can now easily learn about the diets, try it, lose weight, and get much healthier. They can see for themselves”

Jean

Yes, this is encouraging, and as mentioned in other posts, I'm seeing this dynamic of broader information access allowing people to try things for themselves without having to solely rely on the "experts."

Edited to add: Just realized you indicated it's on DD. Thanks!

Even giant bestsellers don’t reach as many people as what filters into the culture and “what other people say.”

I like this:

Quote:

Says Gary, looking back over this experience, ruefully: “We funded exactly the kind of science we are trying to prevent.” The study was funded and predicated on the assumption that the researchers could get the subjects weight stable in the first four weeks, so that they knew precisely how many calories to feed them daily in the next four. Instead, says Gary, the subjects lost weight consistently during this “run in”, which made the results virtually impossible to interpret. “Why did this happen? Nobody knows?” Gary says. “The investigators had their assumptions, their hypotheses, but good science is about testing hypotheses, not about assuming they’re true because they fit your preconceptions. The investigators chose the latter route. We had hoped for better.”

I wasn't aware that the first part of that experiment actually failed, i.e. they couldn't maintain the subjects' weight. Now that I am aware, it's clear to me that Hall is an idjit of the most bestest kind, the kind that can't possibly think he did a booboo. I mean, if they failed to do what they wanted, this means they don't actually understand what they're dealing with in the first place, which means that's the question they should ask now, and keep asking until they get a firm answer cuz until then nothing they do will mean anything, it's all gonna be completely unreliable for the rest of us.

"idjit of the bestest kind" mlevac, I have loved you for about 11 years, I don't always agree with you but I have always loved you, because you write exactly as my mother spoke (a wild Australian). Keep it up. :rheart:

Quote:

Originally Posted by M Levac

I like this:
I wasn't aware that the first part of that experiment actually failed, i.e. they couldn't maintain the subjects' weight. Now that I am aware, it's clear to me that Hall is an idjit of the most bestest kind, the kind that can't possibly think he did a booboo. I mean, if they failed to do what they wanted, this means they don't actually understand what they're dealing with in the first place, which means that's the question they should ask now, and keep asking until they get a firm answer cuz until then nothing they do will mean anything, it's all gonna be completely unreliable for the rest of us.

Yes indeed. Ego and arrogance are probably the two most consistent obstacles to finding out about anything when attempting to use what goes under the guise of science.