Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Clodfobble
Is that really so much different than implying that "I'm sure there must be homeless people who don't do X"? Accusing a sample of being biased implies that you believe there are cases out there that don't fit the sample.
|
I think it's pretty much accepted all round that mentally ill homeless people are less likely to be working their way out of it (though it does happen - my mom volunteers at a soup kitchen and knows a woman who managed to get a place to live, and a job after getting on medication). In that light, I think wolf's statement needs to be interpreted in light of her position in a mental hospital.
And, logically speaking, accusing a sample of being biased implies only that the sample is useless in drawing a conclusion; it says nothing about what the conclusion should be.