Search Results for “random chance” – Page 3

Randomness And The “Null” Hypothesis

Last week of teaching! Randomness is not a cause. Neither is chance. It is always a mistake to say things like "explainable by chance", "random change", "the differences are random",…

Statistics

That “1-in-27 Million Chance That Earth’s Record Hot Streak Is Natural” Is Preposterous

This post is one that has been restored after the hacking. All original comments were lost. We met a lot of bad statistics over the years, but this one wins…

Statistics

Nothing Is Distributed: So-Called Random Variables Do Not Follow Distributions

People say "random" variables "behave" in a certain way as if they have a life of their own. To behave is to act, to be caused, to react. This is…

Philosophy Statistics

Evolution Under Fixed Constraints; Or, Why Random Changes Don’t Cut It

See if this analogy makes sense. A ramp onto which you loose a ball, which can roll down and fall into one of three slots. The configuration is such that…

Philosophy Statistics

What Are The Chances Of That?

Go ahead and ask me. I'll even pretend to laugh. Just as I chuckle warmly with you when you quote Mark Twain (or Disraeli) abut damned lies. (Secretly, I'll be…

Philosophy Statistics

The Mysticism Of Randomness: Philosophy of Probability & Statistics Video Series

Nothing can be caused by "chance". Chance, like randomness, isn't a thing, it isn't real, it isn't physical, therefore it cannot cause anything. Randomness means "unknown." Therefore "random variables" are…

Statistics

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

Never Say “Caused By Chance”

One of the services of this blog is grammatical guidance. In that spirit, here are phrases which should be forbidden, and will be once I am in charge (all highlights…

_Jim on You Can’t Con An Honest Man & The Case of Jason ArdayAugust 14, 2026
And, just like that, he (apparently) self-exterminates. Found unresponsive and declared deceased where they found him today, Friday the 14th…
patrivk healy on Ugly Women Rulers Condemn LookismAugust 14, 2026
C-Marie. Look around you. Virtually all the ugly woman who have corrupted the western world in the last 50 years…
Cary Cotterman on Sweet Wee Ps Say Sugar Makes You Lose Your MindAugust 13, 2026
Every day there's some paper or article claiming that something is good for you, followed the next day by some…
spetzer86 on Sweet Wee Ps Say Sugar Makes You Lose Your MindAugust 13, 2026
Always fun watching the lectures.
JRob on Sweet Wee Ps Say Sugar Makes You Lose Your MindAugust 13, 2026
The epidemiologist fallacies are always enjoyable. It seems that there is a rash of scientists now saying that previous scientists…