tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198942534740642384.post3144216317720123405..comments2023-10-24T03:16:41.009-07:00Comments on Econometrics Beat: Dave Giles' Blog: Regression & CausationDave Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05389606956062019445noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198942534740642384.post-85354126455563536182012-12-18T07:29:26.769-08:002012-12-18T07:29:26.769-08:00I did a lot of work with causal networks (aka Baye...I did a lot of work with causal networks (aka Bayesian networks, probablistic networks, belief networks) back in the 1990s as inference engines for software agents and as management decision tools. To incorporate Bayesian networks into an undergraduate econometrics course would be difficult and probably counterproductive. Bayesian networks and statistical inference seem to me to have different objectives. When I teach applied econometrics (using Stock and Watson as the text), I use the concept of "explains the variation in Y" instead of "causes Y".Alan Mehlenbacherhttp://web.uvic.ca/~amehlen/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198942534740642384.post-60112578304024467162012-12-16T23:52:54.757-08:002012-12-16T23:52:54.757-08:00I think if you want to understand the substance of...I think if you want to understand the substance of Pearl's concerns and contributions, which I don't entirely agree with but still think are important, this is definitely not the paper to read. He has some good published survey papers and you could also try his book. Relying on a rather poor working paper with a student is not really a fair assessment. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198942534740642384.post-22141526791987793642012-12-16T09:18:13.124-08:002012-12-16T09:18:13.124-08:00Fair enough comment.It's always interesting, t...Fair enough comment.It's always interesting, though, to see a different perspective on our discipline.Dave Gileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05389606956062019445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198942534740642384.post-89299580086734960582012-12-11T10:42:11.903-08:002012-12-11T10:42:11.903-08:00I've looked at that paper a couple of times no...I've looked at that paper a couple of times now, and I'm still trying to get their point. On one hand, my gut reaction is "why are a couple of computer science people so interested in econometrics." On the other hand, I gather that Pearl is a big name in treatment effects and causal modeling. But it seems to me that Pearl seems to think that is all econometrics is about and comes away disappointed because none of the six econometrics texts reviewed takes the approach that he would. So?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2198942534740642384.post-29629143943066883602012-12-07T18:02:31.957-08:002012-12-07T18:02:31.957-08:00Very interesting, especially because one of my mor...Very interesting, especially because one of my more early econometrics book is in there! (Wooldridge, albiet not the current edition). Thanks for the share.Daniel McKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11408084759802544856noreply@blogger.com