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Seminar Details

Meaningless Statements in Epidemiology

  • Start Date: June 11, 2009
  • Event Start Time: 1:00 PM
  • Event End Time: 2:00 PM
  • Organizers: Gene Fiorini
  • Seminar Series: REU Seminar
  • Presenter(s): Fred Roberts - Rutgers University
  • Event Location: DIMACS Seminar room
  • Abstract: A statement involving scales of measurement is called meaningless if its truth or falsity can depend on the particular versions of scales that are used in the statement. Using examples from the study of diseases such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, we will give a variety of examples of meaningless and meaningful statements. We will briefly discuss the mathematical foundations of the theory of meaningfulness (which involves such topics as homomorphisms of ordered algebraic systems and functional equations), discuss ways to average scores that lead to meaningful statements, and, time permitting, discuss the meaningfulness of statistical tests. The talk will be self-contained. No knowledge of either epidemiology or the theory of measurement will be required.