I think we are getting caught up in the definition of “small”. My original point earlier is that 400 calories is small compared with historical variation and variation among humans. Your original point is that 400 calories is more than enough to explain the weight gain and thus isn’t “small”. Those are different definitions of small, and are both true: 400 calories is small compared with historical and present variation among humans AND 400 calories is enough to explain the extra weight.
But the latter is obvious; clearly those 400 calories explain the weight gain, because people aren’t suddenly metabolizing air or water or other calorie-free inputs into extra weight, those fat cells are creating fat from calories people consume. I suspect people are ascribing other claims to you because “400 calories is not small—it’s enough to explain the excess weight” is only a useful claim in this context (“this context” being “what causes obesity?”) if you are also making the causative claim.
You insist you are not making the causative claim—so what exactly are you arguing re: the question of “what’s causing the weight gain?”
I think we are getting caught up in the definition of “small”. My original point earlier is that 400 calories is small compared with historical variation and variation among humans. Your original point is that 400 calories is more than enough to explain the weight gain and thus isn’t “small”. Those are different definitions of small, and are both true: 400 calories is small compared with historical and present variation among humans AND 400 calories is enough to explain the extra weight.
But the latter is obvious; clearly those 400 calories explain the weight gain, because people aren’t suddenly metabolizing air or water or other calorie-free inputs into extra weight, those fat cells are creating fat from calories people consume. I suspect people are ascribing other claims to you because “400 calories is not small—it’s enough to explain the excess weight” is only a useful claim in this context (“this context” being “what causes obesity?”) if you are also making the causative claim.
You insist you are not making the causative claim—so what exactly are you arguing re: the question of “what’s causing the weight gain?”