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Re: Undetermined Accidental?
Posted by: SJAvato (IP Logged)
Date: February 02, 2007 09:37AM

If our standard for decision making and knowledge is "absolutely, unequivocal certainty" then "best probable analysis" equates to a degree of uncertainty which fails to meet our knowledge standard and we are left "Undetermined." I could say the words "I am absolutely 100%, without reservation certain that this, and only this, is what happened" - but the truth is that that will only occur for some fires. For many fires, there will be logical, plausible alternate hypothesis. My job is to show that, given the facts of this particular fire, this is the most probable of all potential constructs. I may be too philosophical about this and I fully realize that when people’s lives and property are at stake, they want ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, but I often have trouble offering that in a scenario where I am trying to recreate an event for which all variables cannot be resolved.
We often speak of a "standard of care" and a comparison to medicine - I don't believe that any doctor would ever say "I am absolutely certain that if you take X pill, Y condition will be cured without side-effects or untoward reactions" (as in fires, there may be some limited exceptions) What they often do is say that they have very good results or success with a particular treatment, but the benefits outweigh the risks of certain treatments - that is no guarantee - but represents our best probable treatment regimen. If you want certainty, you can find a doctor who will prescribe an antibiotic for a cold with the guarantee that in 7 -10 days the pills will cure the cold, but the cold was going to go away in a week anyway and all the pills did was give you a mental reassurance of certainty. It was the soothing balm of certainty that we strive for.
I wish I could offer certainty, but my mental and philosophical make-up causes skepticism and doubt. The Supreme Court doesn't expect "scientific certainty" why should we?



Subject Views Written By Posted
  Undetermined Accidental? 2160 dahebert 01/31/2007 11:21AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1311 Jim Mazerat 01/31/2007 12:35PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1182 bpeck 02/01/2007 09:23AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1154 dcarpenter 02/01/2007 10:20AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1072 MIJ 02/01/2007 10:58AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1101 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 11:46AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1048 MIJ 02/01/2007 12:18PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 969 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 12:46PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1003 MIJ 02/01/2007 02:25PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1029 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 04:16PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1031 MIJ 02/01/2007 04:56PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1096 dcarpenter 02/01/2007 12:49PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1025 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 11:26AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1119 dcarpenter 01/31/2007 01:03PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1073 MIJ 01/31/2007 01:11PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1035 dahebert 01/31/2007 03:27PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1192 Jim Mazerat 01/31/2007 03:23PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1138 SJAvato 02/01/2007 11:29AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1022 MIJ 02/01/2007 12:26PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1038 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 12:49PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1173 SJAvato 02/01/2007 02:08PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1024 MIJ 02/01/2007 02:30PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1077 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 02:40PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 902 MIJ 02/01/2007 03:17PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 953 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 03:38PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1099 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 03:36PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1051 MIJ 02/01/2007 05:07PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 988 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 07:38PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1035 MIJ 02/02/2007 10:29AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1072 Gerald Hurst 02/02/2007 11:01AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1000 MIJ 02/02/2007 01:44PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1075 Jim Mazerat 02/02/2007 11:33AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 995 dcarpenter 02/02/2007 11:49AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 990 Jim Mazerat 02/02/2007 02:41PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1090 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 12:41PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1040 dcarpenter 02/01/2007 01:07PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 998 Jim Mazerat 02/01/2007 02:10PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 924 MIJ 02/01/2007 03:15PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1613 dcarpenter 02/01/2007 04:39PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1024 SJAvato 02/02/2007 09:37AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1123 k9team 02/02/2007 10:10AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1004 Jim Mazerat 02/02/2007 10:22AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1001 ForensicEEnMD 02/05/2007 05:00PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1006 Jim Mazerat 02/05/2007 08:14PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1128 dahebert 02/06/2007 09:18AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1076 Jim Mazerat 02/06/2007 09:59AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1049 dcarpenter 02/06/2007 10:47AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1001 Jim Mazerat 02/06/2007 11:29AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1076 dahebert 02/07/2007 03:31PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1026 Jim Mazerat 02/07/2007 03:44PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1117 dahebert 02/07/2007 04:56PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1085 Jim Mazerat 02/07/2007 05:50PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1095 SJAvato 02/07/2007 06:28PM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1092 Jim Mazerat 02/08/2007 11:32AM
  Re: Undetermined Accidental? 1085 jgmcfps 02/08/2007 10:54AM
  Re: Hebert, Spelling and Grammar 1139 PMK140 02/02/2007 03:58PM
  Re: Oh, I forgot to add- 1106 PMK140 02/02/2007 04:00PM
  Re: Oh, I forgot to add- 1125 Jim Mazerat 02/02/2007 04:13PM
  Re: Oh, I forgot to add- 1067 dahebert 02/05/2007 12:29PM


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