I don't know if the result vindicates the approach but the fact that you said above that you are willing to listen is a BIG step further than you were 5 days ago or so when you joined this thread.
I was and am willing to listen always, my position hasn't changed. I'm not sure how you thought I wasn't but I think you probably made a few presumptions about me that are incorrect. You presumed I hadn’t read the NEDU deep stop study when I had.
You claim there are are elements within RD that have been “debunked.” I’ve asked you three times now which elements, to which I’ve gotten no reply. Honestly, I don’t think you really understand much about RD and are relying upon incomplete or false information to draw conclusions about it.
There are also other NEDU studies to consider that you might not yet know about.
Which?
I don't recall if any tested ratio deco specifically (I don't think so) because it's really a niche thing
They haven't.
People almost always need to experience some kind of cognitive dissonance in order to shake them out of an "unaware" state in order for learning to be (re)started. In cases where people are really stuck in a paradigm lock making them feel that cognitive dissonance isn't easy and it isn't comfortable. I wasn't trying to play "king of the castle" with you, I was sincerely making an attempt to help you reach a mental state in which learning could (re)commence in the best way I could think to do on an internet forum.
Is this a patronizing and passive way of you telling me I need to experience “cognitive dissonance?” What other studies and facts can you show me to aid me in such cognitive dissonance?
You have 10 years of catching up to do so please try to be patient as the discussion progresses from this point. A good starting point is to review the NEDU study that you have heard about again. It's all about deep stops, not the O2 window, but the ascent strategy involved in RD makes use of deep stops.
I know it’s about deep stops, not the O2 window, which is why I mentioned that specifically. The ascent strategy involved in RD makes use of 66% deep stops, and doesn’t use air for decompression. Comparing the two is not a like-kind comparison.
If you were to suspend "belief" for a moment as "assume" that NEDU is right then the obvious conclusion from the deep stops study is that deep stops are not "good" at all in the sense of it making deco more efficient. On the contrary, the addition of deep stops means that MORE time, not less time, needs to be spent shallow in order to compensate for an ascent strategy that keeps you deeper longer. On an intuitive level this might make some sense, but NEDU proved it.
You’re taking the deep stop study out of context. It involves using only air for decompression. I will agree with you that if we are using air only then adding deep stops adds more time, not less time, to the overall ascent.
If you are anything like me, the first time you read that study you're going to have a lot of questions.
If I was anything like you, I’d be more presumptuous and patronizing
However, the going "paradigm" is that "deep stops" allow for shorter shallow stops later. THIS idea needs to go. It is wrong and NEDU proved it.
I don't believe any theory in RD subscribes to that idea. Do you know how RD works?
In fact, I would seriously and sincerely suggest that my OW students understand the latest thinking in deco theory better than AG. This isn't intended to be a jab.... it's based upon what he says, what the experts say and what my OW are taught. I honestly and truly think that my OW students "get it" and that AG is stuck in a paradigm lock.
Again, I don't want that to sound like a jab... but I honestly believe that AG is stuck in a paradigm lock and I honestly believe that my OW students could teach him a thing or two.....and that they actually understand the basics better than he does.
R..
But this is a jab. If you say, “this isn’t a jab,” but then make a jab, it’s still a jab lol

. First of all, in order to make that statement, you must already know how much AG knows about deco theory. Is that true? Are you claiming you know how much AG knows about decompression?
I'm sorry but I do believe that their leader is paradigm locked and I do believe that my OW students have a better understanding of the issues in modern deco theory than he does. That's my job......to teach them. His job is to push his agenda. I'm not just saying this. I believe it.
What paradigm lock are you referring to? Ratio deco itself? Do you know how RD works? Have you taken a class? You were the one telling me to “go read, then talk.” I don’t think you understand at all how RD works. Your job is to teach, his job is to push an agenda? Are you sure you’re not pushing an agenda too?
So, what kind of training is offered so that the diver can make an "informed decision"? What is the source of this information?
...
At what point in the training are they taught how to make those informed decisions?
I would hope that someone would know what UTD officially teaches. So far, no one knows.
For the 8th/9th time, UTD doesn't teach anything about altitude diving in RD. I'll keep going I guess, how many can we get to, 20 times?
So let’s go with the 9th time? UTD doesn’t officially teach anything about altitude diving.