William M. Briggs

Non-Empirical Confirmation Of Theories

Difficulties "Fundamental physics today faces the problem that empirical testing of its core hypotheses is very difficult to achieve and even more difficult to be made conclusive," says Richard Dawid…

Philosophy SAMT

Summary Against Modern Thought: Divine Providence Does Not Exclude Evil

Previous post. In which the age-old question is answered: If God exists, whence comes evil? THAT DIVINE PROVIDENCE DOES NOT ENTIRELY EXCLUDE EVIL FROM THINGS 1 Now, from these conclusions…

Culture

The Week In Doom — We Are All Seattle Now Edition

Item KOMO News Special Seattle is Dying KOMO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b53uiRFq4Ds If you were at all sanguine about the future, I beg you will watch this video. Item Inside the online community…

Philosophy Statistics

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

The Power To Kill Without Detection

Suppose you discover a device which allows you to kill those whom you would. The device's "batteries" never run out; it will always work and never disappoint. The device is…

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,…

James on Why There Are (Probably) No UFOs: “Climate Change”May 22, 2026
The same logic applies to the phenomenon of "ball lightning". It sounds credible, but there are no photos of it…
Uncle Mike on Blessed Memorial Day; No Class; See You WednesdayMay 21, 2026
Please enjoy your well-earned respite. Warmth is indeed a boon and blessing -- it's in the eighties here today and…
Cary D Cotterman on Why There Are (Probably) No UFOs: “Climate Change”May 20, 2026
There are clear photographs of just about any phenomenon imaginable, regardless of how fast, distant, small, or ephemeral it may…
Steve on Why There Are (Probably) No UFOs: “Climate Change”May 20, 2026
Briggs, you fool! You should know by now that extraterrestrials have image blurring technology. And before you ask, yes, they…
McChuck on Why There Are (Probably) No UFOs: “Climate Change”May 20, 2026
"Tomorrow Tomorrow never comes What kind of a fool Do they take me for? Tomorrow A resting place for bums…

William M. Briggs

Blessed Memorial Day; No Class; See You Wednesday

Why There Are (Probably) No UFOs: “Climate Change”

Creating Microbial Monsters To Terrorize Ourselves

Class 89: The Measure Most Modelers Forget: Skill Examples

The Shocking Conclusion of the HR Trilemma!

The HR Trilemma: Which Door Decides Your Fate?

Capital Punishment Deters Crime More Than The Death Penalty

How Experts Use “Calamities” to Find Official Victims & Gain Power

Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI Pachinko

Class 88: The Most Neglected Concept: Skill

The Red-Blue Button Dilemma & Its Surprising Answer

UFO Reports About To Blast Off!

Class 87: Calibration & Conformal Prediction: Examples

Noticing Differences Between Races Does Not Pay

What Are The Chances Of All These Scientists Dying, Killed, Or Going Missing?

Class 86: Calibration & Conformal Prediction: Theory

How A Miracle Turns Mundane

Contest Winner Announced!

Trump’s Last Stand: Mea Culpa, Redux — Guest Post by Ianto Watt

Class 85: Proper Scores of Model Goodness

Proof!