Comments on: "Public opinion has moved sharply in favour of assisted suicide, according to a poll for The Sunday Times." http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/ Ben Goldacre's Bad Science column from the Guardian and more... Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:59:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: warhelmet http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23358 warhelmet Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:39:13 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23358 @mikewhit - erm, I work in a place that has them. Legionella makes companies squeamish about tap water. Not because tapwater is unsafe - it's the plumbing. @mikewhit – erm, I work in a place that has them. Legionella makes companies squeamish about tap water. Not because tapwater is unsafe – it’s the plumbing.

]]> By: mikewhit http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23349 mikewhit Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:27:09 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23349 "is not exactly a watercooler topic" - when did coffee-machines turn into water coolers ? Always makes me think of 1950s American films, I used to wonder what those bottle things were ... “is not exactly a watercooler topic” – when did coffee-machines turn into water coolers ?

Always makes me think of 1950s American films, I used to wonder what those bottle things were …

]]> By: Sarah S http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23337 Sarah S Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:34:48 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23337 Meh...what I'm happier to see is Dara O' Briain....his sketch on McKeith has surely been fuelled by this site as have his other pops at pseudo-science too.....now that's got to get more exposure than a, frankly dull and incorrect, stats column in the Times? Meh…what I’m happier to see is Dara O’ Briain….his sketch on McKeith has surely been fuelled by this site as have his other pops at pseudo-science too…..now that’s got to get more exposure than a, frankly dull and incorrect, stats column in the Times?

]]> By: The Biologista http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23333 The Biologista Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:12:48 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23333 If Bad Stats is as serious as Ben, I do hope we see the column cover this slip up (if we can understate so much). I hope it does, because we really need more writers with Ben's rigour in the mainstream. If Bad Stats is as serious as Ben, I do hope we see the column cover this slip up (if we can understate so much). I hope it does, because we really need more writers with Ben’s rigour in the mainstream.

]]> By: warhelmet http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23332 warhelmet Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:45:59 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23332 I think that sometimes the media confuse their increased coverage of a particular "issue" with changes in public opinion. Especially if the reporting is highly emotive. All the recent stuff has been very emotive. But what about the stuff surrounding the issue that doesn't get reported? As far as I can tell, enthanasia is not exactly a watercooler topic. It's not something that registers on most people's radar. A poll might suggest that 80% of people favour a change to the existing legislation (which is not enforced) but that is not the same as 80% of the population writing to their MPs demanding a change to legislation. Certainly, it's not a topic that particularly interests me. However, if I was asked to formulate an opinion on the spot, I'm sure I could do so. I think that sometimes the media confuse their increased coverage of a particular “issue” with changes in public opinion. Especially if the reporting is highly emotive.

All the recent stuff has been very emotive. But what about the stuff surrounding the issue that doesn’t get reported?

As far as I can tell, enthanasia is not exactly a watercooler topic. It’s not something that registers on most people’s radar. A poll might suggest that 80% of people favour a change to the existing legislation (which is not enforced) but that is not the same as 80% of the population writing to their MPs demanding a change to legislation.

Certainly, it’s not a topic that particularly interests me. However, if I was asked to formulate an opinion on the spot, I’m sure I could do so.

]]> By: CDavis http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23329 CDavis Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:22:50 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23329 How splendid to see the British people united as one behind something I approve of for a change. (For small values of 'one', admittedly) How splendid to see the British people united as one behind something I approve of for a change.

(For small values of ‘one’, admittedly)

]]> By: SubMoron http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23327 SubMoron Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:38:57 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23327 The typo is that they forgot "except when they're our ones" after “Please send your bad statistics to badstatistics@thetimes.co.uk“ The typo is that they forgot “except when they’re our ones” after “Please send your bad statistics to badstatistics@thetimes.co.uk“

]]> By: Pro-reason http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23325 Pro-reason Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:59:52 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23325 Bob, don't be silly. Bob, don’t be silly.

]]> By: Bob O'H http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23324 Bob O'H Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:13:24 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23324 <i>The earliest survey for which detailed results are available is a 1987 MORI poll ...</i> Is 1987 a typo? The following paragraph mentions surveys in 1976 and 1984? I guess the available results may not be detailed, but if Ben is going to resort to such sophistry, then he's a very naughty boy. The earliest survey for which detailed results are available is a 1987 MORI poll …
Is 1987 a typo? The following paragraph mentions surveys in 1976 and 1984? I guess the available results may not be detailed, but if Ben is going to resort to such sophistry, then he’s a very naughty boy.

]]> By: briantist http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23322 briantist Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:29:09 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23322 ...but they do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. …but they do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

]]> By: briantist http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/comment-page-1/#comment-23321 briantist Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:28:13 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2008/12/public-opinion-has-moved-sharply-in-favour-of-assisted-suicide-according-to-a-poll-for-the-sunday-times/#comment-23321 I think that "Bad Statistics" sounds more of a homage to the FT's Tim Harford, aka BBC Radio 4's More or Less... <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/moreorless/" rel="nofollow">BBC - Radio - Podcasts - More or Less: Behind the Stats</a> I think that “Bad Statistics” sounds more of a homage to the FT’s Tim Harford, aka BBC Radio 4’s More or Less…

BBC – Radio – Podcasts – More or Less: Behind the Stats

]]>