Klarinet Archive - Posting 000382.txt from 1999/04

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] science & materials when decoupled
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1999 21:04:52 -0400

At 01:34 PM 4/6/99 -0500, Steven Goldman wrote:
>Carefully designed single or perhaps double blind studies perhaps, anecdotal
>evidence, never. We have seen how anecdotal evidence has led all forms of
>scientific inquiry astray. In medicine, anecdotal evidence was the mainstay
>of research until the beginning of this century, and even a superficial
>perusal of "scientific" medical journals from this period leave one with a
>feeling of thankfulness that this type of inquiry has mostly passed from the
>scene. While the human ear is very sensitive, the human psyche is extremely
>powerful. As I said before, things are not always what they seem, or perhaps
>rather what we feel they should seem.
>
Stereo Review magazine has done repeated studies testing the relative
merits of $150 CD players vs. $1000 and up players, zip cord vs. Monster
Cables, etc. Time and time again, they have failed to find statistically
significant proof that people can actually tell the difference in
well-designed double-blind studies. Of course, the people who just shelled
out the big bucks are still convinced they can hear a difference, and if
that makes them happy, fine. But as you say, the human psyche is much more
powerful than the ear is sensitive.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org