Re: various

Data may be data, but this book is more about interpretation.
For example, I think his conclusion that reading to young children is of
no apparent benefit is ludicrous.
JimA

Carol or John Burgeson wrote:

>David wrote: "I wouldn't put too much normative stock in Freakonomics.
>It also cites research suggesting that abortion has a net positive effect
>on educational acheivement because poor African-American unwed mothers
>are statistically the biggest users of abortion services and their
>children statistically are the weakest educational performers. Whatever
>you think about abortion, I don't think you'd want to argue that it's a
>good thing because it culls out poor black kids."
>
>Neither does the author of FREAKONOMICS. He makes that point very clear
>in the book.
>
>In any case, the book is a "popular" one, not scholarly. Behind the
>findings are, I understand, good scientific research papers.
>
>Data is data, whether one "likes" it or not.
>
>Burgy
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Received on Mon Mar 27 13:00:27 2006