Statistics – Page 134 – William M. Briggs

A Failed Argument Against Free Will: Predicting Actions

It is always hilarious when people rail against free will, who are especially flummoxed that Common Man believes in free will, and say "If only people realized their choices weren't…

Statistics

Death Blow To Statistical Significance! — Bonus: Here’s The Replacement

Don't miss the Nature article below! (I stole the graphic from it.) Am Stat Here are the opening lines from a press release (unfortunately sounding like every other press release…

Statistics

There Are No Such Thing As Gays (Or Transexuals)

Yours Truly is a statistician; indeed, the Statistician to the Stars! I call myself that because I perform probability analyses for money (and only for the best people). Yet I…

Philosophy Statistics

On True And False Theories

What makes a theory true? Bad question, that. Conflates too easily why a theory is true with our knowledge whether a theory is true. Both are subjects of great interest,…

Statistics

When We Abandon Statistical Significance, Non-Statisticians Will Resist The Strongest

Regular readers will know the arguments and evidence proving P-values should no longer be used for any reason. If you still doubt, which I doubt, read this paper. Every decision…

Statistics

Deep Dumb: A Map For Navigating Needless Panic

I found it rather comforting to learn Professor Jem Bendell, among his other achievements, has an "honors" Bachelor of Arts. He boasts of this, and therefore it must be important,…

Philosophy Statistics

Yep, Probability Is Not As Simple As You Think

Couple of folks (Mike W, Dan Hughes) asked me to comment on the article "The concept of probability is not as simple as you think" by Nevin Climenhaga. Three popular…

Statistics

Another AI Exaggeration: It Can Say Why There Is Religious Conflict

Dear reader, though you won't believe it, there is such a thing as the Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation. When you search its name, Google shows you this:…

spetzer86 on A New Kind Of University: Your Comments WantedAugust 25, 2026
Sadly, you'd never get through the traditional academic review boards and the required certifications forcing compliance with mainstream thought. You…
Bill Hankel on A New Kind Of University: Your Comments WantedAugust 25, 2026
As someone who is currently almost 65 years old, and has never attended college, I'm in! It has been obvious…
McChuck on A New Kind Of University: Your Comments WantedAugust 25, 2026
It's not a terrible idea. It could work, given sufficient determination and willpower over decades and generations.
Brian (bulaoren) on Bad Black Health Blamed On SlaveryAugust 22, 2026
Enough time has passed, since this post went up, for me to feel no need to stick to the topic.…
David on Bad Black Health Blamed On SlaveryAugust 20, 2026
I would also like to point out that slaves often had *better* medical care than their working-class white counterparts, being…