Assessing Causal Claims: Rosenbaum's Signature Blend of Rigor and Nuance
Book Review 1 Rosenbaum, P. R. (2023). Causal Inference (2nd ed.) . The MIT Press. Buy the book here: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262545198/causal-inference/ In the second edition of "Causal Inference," Paul R. Rosenbaum presents a multidimensional examination of determining causation amidst confounded observational studies. Published by The MIT Press, the 203-page volume expounds on philosophical and technical intricacies in nine meticulously crafted chapters. Through an expert navigation between statistical concepts and applied contexts, Rosenbaum makes an indelible case for precise methodology in cementing credible causal claims from non-experimental data. The initial chapters outline the foundational function of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), where calculated randomization in treatment assignment balances unobserved biases. This sets up the central argument – that observational analyses, despite lacking controlled randomization, can accurately estimate trea...