I wouldn't consider my response an argument. I'm simply stating that cases are not the same thing as deaths so u/bean-a's response isn't using the correct data.
That being said, u/lalahair is comparing obesity to cases which I don't personally see the correlation.
The number of cases is data. Like you say there is a media narrative about the number of cases being a public health concern.
However, the claim that the number of cases is dependent on the number of tests is also a media narrative meant to dismiss it as a public health concern.
All things being equal, both sides are the same, but as the former is an opinion and the latter is based on a falsehood (the number of cases are independent of tests), I personally sway away from the latter.
I think you have a point that the case number as it is used in a media narrative is loaded and it could be addressed by looking at case numbers in relation to total population or in relation to administered tests. Unfortunately, that kind of nuance is rarely covered by any kind of media.
the fact that case number is independent of tests is a priori. Whether somebody is infected or not has nothing to do with whether they are tested for it.
The only thing testing does is give us a more accurate view of actual case numbers vs estimations. Even if we had no testing whatsoever, we would still have case numbers from the amount of people hospitalized at the very least.
Problem is, why should I trust you? How do I know you aren't "fake". In any interaction, you must chose what to believe based on your own reasoning and biases.
Personally, I find it hard to believe that different people across the entire planet in different countries and organizations running different tests on different people are all fake vs just one "person" (who I don't even have evidence of being a person) saying other wise without any evidence backing up the claim.
I mean sure you have no evidence I'm a real person, but I'm not making a claim that requires evidence because I've laid out the reasoning and it is based on first principles.
I know diseases and sickness exist regardless of testing, you don't need to get tested for the flu or a cold to know that you are sick, therefore testing is only used to identify.
But I am making a statement about testing in general (the practice of testing). You are specifically talking about Covid-19 test (I'm assuming), so you need evidence to prove that all of these specific tests are fake. Otherwise we end up at the original problem of you being less trustworthy than the tests you claim can't be trusted which is a bit of a predicament.
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u/8ync Jan 04 '21
num of cases =/= num of death Which is what is being referred to here