Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science

Philosophy of science in action!
A great, technical debate is unfolding on Andrew Gelman's blog about different statistical techniques in the social sciences:
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2009/07/more_on_pearlru.html

It started here:
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2009/07/disputes_about.html
Then went on here:
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2009/07/philip_dawids_t.html
And continued here:
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2009/07/more_on_pearls.html
Heavy hitters are involved, and I think it is useful for philosophers to see the statisticians trying to articulate the virtues of their favored approaches...