Statistics – Page 209 – William M. Briggs

Statistics Talk: Chances Are You’re Doing It Wrong

The problem with statistics is the astonishing amount of magical thinking tolerated. A statistician---or his apprentice; this means you---waving a formula over a dataset is little different than an alchemist…

Philosophy Statistics

What Scientific Idea Is Ready For Retirement? Hypothesis Tests

Edge asked a whopping number of named persons which ideas are ready to be expunged from the thing that is Science. Somehow my invitation got lost in the aether, an…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

Malthus’ Proof That Welfare Leads To Increasing Need For Welfare

First person that giggles at my hand drawings gets a mean look. My computing facilities are somewhat lacking... This of course is only a cartoon, but a helpful one of…

Statistics

About That Lefties-Drink-More-Than-Conservatives Study

"Honey? Did you meet our new neighbors?" "Not yet. Why?" "I'm a little worried about them. They have an 'I heart NPR' sticker on their Prius." "Oh, God. Pass me…

Statistics

Coming Out Christian: Guest Post by Hut Evenest

Readers should understand bestiality is allowed in many countries. Hut Evenest is a writer from Finland, a country in which the practice is legal. Their preferred term is zoophilia. The…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

Voting (And Wisdom Of The Crowds)

First read Wisdom of the Crowds (and Voting). There are in this great land of ours some 315 million souls. Citizens, I mean. Another 12 millions (or so) are, as…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

Wisdom Of The Crowds (And Voting)

Have you heard of Mesd-su-Re? One of the participants of the Great Harem Conspiracy under Ramses III? Probably not. But I need to know the length of his nose right…

Statistics

Statistically Speaking: Why You Are Too Sure

How happy are you? On a scale between one and ten, of course. Nobody could be eleven-happy. Listen: I can't measure your happiness unless I put a number to it.…

Uncle Mike on Did The Pope Really Say Health Is A “Right”?March 30, 2026
There have been many bad popes, but also many wonderful ones. Pope Saint John Paul II was, well, saintly. His…
Brian (bulaoren) on Did The Pope Really Say Health Is A “Right”?March 30, 2026
If our rights derive from God, and if the pope is God's primary interlocutor (Pontifax Maximus) can we sue the…
Robert Arvanitis on Did The Pope Really Say Health Is A “Right”?March 30, 2026
You are correct in one point. The American enterprise, unlike all previous societies, is for all Men. Not based on…
Brian (bulaoren) on All Models Only Say What They Are Told To Say, And AI Is A ModelMarch 27, 2026
Logic, empiricism, wisdom... These solvents are without impact for people who have, so often, survived them. I believe this is…
spetzer86 on All Models Only Say What They Are Told To Say, And AI Is A ModelMarch 27, 2026
It's interesting that the commenters using AI prove the point that the use of a model yielding apparently random results…