William M. Briggs

Tide Gauge Locations And Sea Level Rise, Some Statistical Concerns

Marcel Crok asked me to comment on the peer-reviewed paper "Tide gauge location and the measurement of global sea level rise" Beenstock (yes) and others in the journal Environmental and…

Statistics

It’s World Statistics Day! Death To P-Values, Hypothesis Tests, And False Ascriptions Of Cause! #StatsDay15

Who said the UN doesn't do anything useful? Courtesy of that august body, it's World Statistics Day! Official statistics help decision makers develop informed policies that impact millions of people.…

Culture Philosophy

Is It Moral To Use Embryonic Stem Cells In Cancer Therapy?

From an anonymous reader comes this question: Situation: Doctor is referring me to an oncologist because I may have Myeloma. Note that I have not yet gone for additional screening.…

Philosophy SAMT

Summary Against Modern Thought: God Has Free Will

See the first post in this series for an explanation and guide of our tour of Summa Contra Gentiles. All posts are under the category SAMT. Previous post. Here we…

Culture Statistics

This Week In Doom: Death Education & Blind Science

This week, entries from readers (I'm woefully behind). Science Is Blind Blind on purpose. Elizabeth Murphy recalls a lecture "delivered at Memorial University in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador recently…

Statistics

Stream: Scientists Claim Zapping Brains With Magnets Can Treat Belief In God

Apologies to all. I thought this was going to run on Thursday, so I'm a day behind. If you're one of the folks who asked about upcoming articles, these have…

Statistics

Why Statistics Can’t Discover Cause, And Bad Priors

My mailbag is filling up. Today two questions from readers, both about statistics. Feel free to send yours in on any subject. Tomorrow is a doozy. Question 1 From reader…

Statistics

On The Supposed Newly Discovered “Gay Genes.” Or, The Importance Of Model Skill

Great news! The press and activists are touting a study which claims to have discovered the genes that "make" somebody gay. So get your enwombed baby's DNA scanned and make…

Lucy Tucker on How Women’s Equality In Democracies Changes Voting (And Everything Else)February 5, 2026
I’m ready to give up the right to vote.
spetzer86 on Impossible LSAT Statistics QuestionFebruary 5, 2026
Could this scenario validate (A) and (D)? (A): When living in a country with a strong, pervasive religious belief, particularly…
spaceranger on Impossible LSAT Statistics QuestionFebruary 4, 2026
I usually go with "b." or "Asia" on those multiple choice ones.
Cary D Cotterman on Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So WellFebruary 4, 2026
Polar bears have existed for at least half a million years, and possibly as long as a million. They have…
Brian (bulaoren) on Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So WellFebruary 4, 2026
Dr. Briggs I was afraid I'd hijacked your subject today with my, rather dark, "Walter Lantz" cartoon. Returning to your…

William M. Briggs

Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So Well

Impossible LSAT Statistics Question

How Women’s Equality In Democracies Changes Voting (And Everything Else)

Class 77: Trendy Trends In Time Series

Who Still Listens To AM Radio?

Scientists Invent New Name For Models: Digital Twins

What Science Says About Making Medication Mandatory

What A Winter

FDA Goes Bayes: It Should Have Gone Probability

Class 76: That’s Not Noise. That’s Signal!

AI: The Earth Is Spinning Faster & Slower (Because “Climate Change”)

Confirmation Bias In The Minneapolis Shooting

Sports Betting Is An Excellent Way To Lose Money

Class 75: A Gentle Introduction To Time Series

The Consent Fallacy

On Laws Banning Hacking Women’s Genitals & Imposing Beliefs

Register Your Predictions For 2026!

Happy New Year!

How Did We Do In Our 2025 Predictions?

Why The Drake Equation Fails

Canada Invents New Euphemism For Doctor Killings

Polar Bears Are Doing Fine: Activists, Not So Well

Impossible LSAT Statistics Question

Tide Gauge Locations And Sea Level Rise, Some Statistical Concerns

It’s World Statistics Day! Death To P-Values, Hypothesis Tests, And False Ascriptions Of Cause! #StatsDay15

Is It Moral To Use Embryonic Stem Cells In Cancer Therapy?

Summary Against Modern Thought: God Has Free Will

This Week In Doom: Death Education & Blind Science

Stream: Scientists Claim Zapping Brains With Magnets Can Treat Belief In God

Why Statistics Can’t Discover Cause, And Bad Priors

On The Supposed Newly Discovered “Gay Genes.” Or, The Importance Of Model Skill

There Is No Culture Without Inequality: Stove 1

Impose Your Beliefs Before They Impose Theirs

Telekinesis: Ideas In Our Reenchantment & Rectification

The Physics Of Blessings: Ideas In Our Reenchantment & Rectification