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Observational studies are certainly science. Any claim against that is going to be hard to defend. The mechanism isn't really at question. But just as sun ex
by taeric 4y ago
Observational studies are certainly science. Any claim against that is going to be hard to defend.
The mechanism isn't really at question. But just as sun exposure can kill grass, so to can lack of sun. We know that humans don't do photosynthesis, but it seems reasonable to ask if we do get other benefits.
Note. Is reasonable to ask and study. Is not reasonable to just assume the conclusion.
- dsizzle 4y agoBy "observational" studies I realize you probably just meant studies where they don't manipulate a variable (which, while less than ideal, it is indeed science), whereas I was making a more philosophical point, a la Popper https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/778918-the-belief-that-science-proceeds-from-observation-to-theory-is https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/778918-the-belief-that-scie...
- taeric 4y agoAh, makes sense. You are correct in what I was referencing. To your point, I would expect most observational studies to be done with the expection of validating understood mechanisms.