Re: cancer rates (was: e: How do you calm down the hot-heads?)

From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Thu Sep 11 2003 - 19:53:33 MDT

  • Next message: Damien Broderick: "Re: How do you calm down the hot-heads?"

    On Thursday 11 September 2003 09:35, Robbie Lindauer wrote:
    > On Thursday, September 11, 2003, at 01:21 AM, Damien Broderick wrote:
    > > Robert Weinberg, a notable cancer expert, sez not. (Except in
    > > especially
    > > nasty hot-spots.)
    >
    > Reference already provided:
    >
    > http://webapp.cdc.gov/
    >
    > The database is roughly searchable.
    >
    > It MAY be that cancer is more likely to happen because we're getting
    > older, we KNOW that there are more polutants around.

    There is no "may be" about it. With or without pollutants the cancer rate
    goes up as the average lifespan increases.

    > We KNOW that the
    > pollutants cause cancer.

    Actually, we don't KNOW any such thing in enough detail to imply that is the
    only or primary reason for a higher observed cancer rate. Cancer can and
    does occur even without any pollutants.

    > We don't KNOW that age does.

    Strawman. No one said age *causes* cancer. It is not precise to say that
    pollution causes cancer either.

    - s

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