Re: Applying the Scientific Method...

"X, formerly known as "!Jones"" <x@y.com> wrote in message news:qrbndjlbqre382okis6v6pqvf61mdubu7p@4ax.com...

If you have a medical emergency, stop reading, log off, and dial 911!
>

On 9/5/2024 10:01 AM, X, formerly known as "!Jones" wrote:

>
It is as obvious as gravity that gun proliferation and gun violence
tend to have a positive correlation.

>
Fact, not opinion:  In the USA, gun buying splurges do not have
a positive correlation with gun violence.  Also, non-urban areas
where gun ownership is high do not have corresponding high gun
violence.

>
Actually, simple correlation isn't a particularly compelling data
point and tends to vary widely (meaning +- 0.2, which is significant)
depending on the population; however, I know of no national data set
(except John Lott's) in which it isn't positive.
>
Now, is it possible to *find* a data set that isn't positive?  I don't
know, but I wouldn't wager you couldn't if you had long enough to look
for it.  In *general*, worldwide, it runs between 0.2 and 0.6
depending on *many* factors (e.g.: do self-inflicted wounds count as
gun violence?)  When you discuss correlation, always remember what a
high correlation there is between a rooster's crowing and the sun
subsequently rising.

Well actually if you look at the bulk of America where buying guns results in ZERO murders by guns.. one could and should enter that data into consideration. Indeed they show that for the year in question 68% of murders with guns occurred in just 5% of US counties that comprised 47% of the population accounted for 68% of all murders with a firearm. Now there is still a correlation between population and murder rates, but it is a statistically significant variance. We might even say that CITES cause murders. Should cities be banned? According to the arguments of the gun control crowd we should ban cities.
https://crimeresearch.org/2017/04/number-murders-county-54-us-counties-2014-zero-murders-69-1-murder/
I've also not heard that anyone has contested much less refuted this study.