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Three Thoughts
Apr. 25th, 2013 10:54 amThought The First
Being smart is not the same as being wise or right. Many smart people tried to treat fevers by bleeding the patient. Most wise people are smart, but not all. Wisdom includes things like judgment, risk management, and understanding what you don't know. Right, well that includes actual research and investigation.
Thought The Second
We are told that there is an "epidemic" of obesity, and we are also told that being obese is a major health risk. There is also evidence that being overweight can improve your resistance to decease. Here's my admittedly unscientific thought - what's really unhealthy is a lack of exercise. The problem is that there is a very high correlation between obesity and lack of exercise. It's difficult, perhaps even impossible, to separate the two factors when doing a study on health.
Thought The Third
A staple of science fiction stories is having the Space Patrol charge people for rescuing them. This professional rescuer thinks that's a bad idea. The article is well-written, but the tl;dr version is:
1) In the world of ships, commercial vessels also rescue each other. Do we want them to charge-back for a rescue?
2) Many rescues are needed due to bad decisions on the part of the rescue-ees. Do we want the financial cost of rescue cause them to make more bad decisions like not calling for help, thus leading to more dangerous rescues?
Being smart is not the same as being wise or right. Many smart people tried to treat fevers by bleeding the patient. Most wise people are smart, but not all. Wisdom includes things like judgment, risk management, and understanding what you don't know. Right, well that includes actual research and investigation.
Thought The Second
We are told that there is an "epidemic" of obesity, and we are also told that being obese is a major health risk. There is also evidence that being overweight can improve your resistance to decease. Here's my admittedly unscientific thought - what's really unhealthy is a lack of exercise. The problem is that there is a very high correlation between obesity and lack of exercise. It's difficult, perhaps even impossible, to separate the two factors when doing a study on health.
Thought The Third
A staple of science fiction stories is having the Space Patrol charge people for rescuing them. This professional rescuer thinks that's a bad idea. The article is well-written, but the tl;dr version is:
1) In the world of ships, commercial vessels also rescue each other. Do we want them to charge-back for a rescue?
2) Many rescues are needed due to bad decisions on the part of the rescue-ees. Do we want the financial cost of rescue cause them to make more bad decisions like not calling for help, thus leading to more dangerous rescues?
