Because I am me...

[Lurk]

Normally, I agree. I usually want to at least SEE the rationale behind the statements. While a relationship between A and B doesn't mean A causes B, it's both mathematically and scientifically inaccurate to dismiss it altogether. If there's a solid +1 or -1 correlation coefficient between the two items (meaning, roughly, there's a precise linear relationship between the two), it's dishonest to dismiss A as a cause of B.

As you observed with the can - there was another overlooked cause. Happens all the time - Bubonic plague was blamed on rats. It was fleas, or rather, germs they carried. Admittedly, the effect was in direct proportion to the amount of rat infestation, but the wrong reason.

But we do tests and studies all the time when we don't know the exact reasons behind an observable cause and effect. We give one group a pill, and another, a placebo and measure the differences. We do this because - well, we don't know every possible interaction, but we think we do. We do experiments this way - try something, and compare it to a trial where the outcome is known. It would be bad science to treat the two as unrelated, separate experiments.

Too few know of or understand the concept of epiphenomena.

 

[vraiblonde]

Too few know of or understand the concept of epiphenomena.

Ooh, a new fancy word for my collection!

Weight loss, for all intents and purposes, is a simple equation: +-3,500 calories = one pound. Figure your BMR, then do some math to figure out how many calories a day you should be consuming to stay at/reach your optimal weight. We do know that certain things influence that calorie +- and your metabolic rate but it is impossible to gain weight on a zero-calorie beverage. Perhaps the chemicals in the fake sugar are conflicting with something else and causing a metabolic slow down, but that zero-calorie beverage in and of itself is not making you fat. If you ingested nothing but Diet Coke for a week, you would lose weight, not gain.

 

[puggymom]

Maybe they just prefer diet soda. I always have even as a kid (by kid I mean 12ish). I do always feel weird ordering diet soda when I do eat fast food because of that though. Plus I'd rather not drink my calories.

I remember when i used to eat more fast food than i do now. It never ceased to amaze me to see an over weight individual in front of me order the super size meal with a diet drink. I don't think it was the diet drink putting the weight on them. JMHO