William M. Briggs

Teaching Comes First. But Only If You Bring In Grants. And Publish

Since it's teaching time, via Nick B Steves via Bruce Charlton comes this reminiscence of Oxford in the 1970s. In the 70s it was still possible for a distinguished head…

Philosophy Statistics

The Deadly Sin Of Reification! Day Three

Zeno Phobia Counting day. How many ways can you skin a cat if the number of sharp versus dull knives is this and such. Simple stuff, easy to get the…

Philosophy Statistics

Tautology Tautology: Day Two Teaching

Since probability is the completion---we do not say "branch"---of logic, and logic is the science of the relations between propositions, probability is also the study of the relations between propositions.…

Philosophy Statistics

I Was Wrong About Axioms: Day One Teaching

I was wrong about how belief in axioms are held. I was not wrong about the beliefs themselves, which is to say, the axioms which we all know and love…

Philosophy SAMT

Summary Against Modern Thought: First Steps In The Scientific Proof Of God

See the first post in this series for an explanation and guide of our tour of Summa Contra Gentiles. Previous post. We have reached at long last the happiest part…

Fun

The Joy Of Unknowns In World Cup; Updates

Slaughterhouse Five Five brave individuals, strong and true, have thus far ponied up to be killed off in one of my award-eligible Mini Plays. Strike that: four deaths and one…

Culture

On What’s Behind The Notes In Music

As (then) Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen said1: [I]t is impossible to have any kind of evolution [change] without something that evolves or a change without permanence...It is no escape from…

Statistics

Democrats Received 42% More Donations Than Republicans, Even Including Koch Brothers

Open Secrets tracks donations made to political parties in the States, a difficult thing to do, particularly since Americans can give in many different ways. Press reports on money are…

Phil R on Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)July 1, 2025
...and I saw 5 or 25 in the figure. The division answer never occurred to me. Got all the rest…
Phil R on Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)July 1, 2025
If someone asks a question that is conditional on some evidence or rule that they conveniently (or purposely) leave out,…
McChuck on Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)July 1, 2025
The answer for the pictured question is obviously '1', as the slot already has a '1' in it, which has…
Briggs on Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)July 1, 2025
Mark, That's exactly it.
Mark on Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)July 1, 2025
Wittgenstein gave some examples like this in his Remarks on the Foundation of Mathematics, a book I had no business…

William M. Briggs

Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)

How Can You Tell If You Have ESP?

Class 56: The Best Model!

Sabine Hossenfelder’s Free Will Folly & The Deadly Sin Of Reification

England’s Mandatory Suicide & Women

On The Probability Of God

Class 55: Models Vs Reality

AI & Chess Both Produce Pre-Coded Output

The Hubris Of Experts: NIH Edition

The Mathematics Of Conspiracy Theories. Part 1: Black Eye Club Example

Class 54: Exchangeability & Parameters

Over-Certainty Of Polygenic Scores

AI & The Dilemma Of Technology

What Are The Chances Thomas Jefferson & John Adams Died On The Fourth of July, 1826?

Class 53: Laplace Was Right!

Even The Woke Say Science Is Petering Out

Expert Nathan Confas: Experts Know Best

Science Claims 7% Of Adults Saw A Mass Shooting

Class 52: The Origin Of Parameters

IQ Is Not Intelligence

What Are The Chances…George Wendt Dies On Same Day Cheers Ended 32 Years Before?

Test Your IQ With These Puzzles! (Not So Easy!)

How Can You Tell If You Have ESP?

Teaching Comes First. But Only If You Bring In Grants. And Publish

The Deadly Sin Of Reification! Day Three

Tautology Tautology: Day Two Teaching

I Was Wrong About Axioms: Day One Teaching

Summary Against Modern Thought: First Steps In The Scientific Proof Of God

The Joy Of Unknowns In World Cup; Updates

On What’s Behind The Notes In Music

Democrats Received 42% More Donations Than Republicans, Even Including Koch Brothers

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