William M. Briggs

Every Family Has Children Until They Have A Boy: Probability Stumper

Reader Bryan Davies quoted a poser from Math Overflow (have we heard of that?) which read: In a country in which people only want boys every family continues to have…

Statistics

Scientists Claim Homosexual Men Have Different Faces

In the journal that brought you "Is a Woman's Preference for Chest Hair in Men Influenced by Parasite Threat?"1, "Accurate Identification of a Preference for Insertive Versus Receptive Intercourse from…

Fun Philosophy

What Do You Call Believer in Scientism? Contest

Toby Young at the Spectator ran this tweet yesterday: https://twitter.com/toadmeister/status/402545969956261888 The text (if you can't see) reads: "Is there a name for people who think reason and research evidence alone…

Philosophy Statistics

Observational Versus Controlled Trials

Received this email from a reader: I took on board all I read on your website, and it has created confusion in my mind. I have been reading Ioannidis and…

Philosophy

Dawkins Gets It Wrong Again: Similar Is Not The Same

Richard Dawkins in an article to the New Statesman---the same issue which somebody who obviously wasn't in full possession of his faculties assigned to Dawkins as editor---the Christmas issue, mind---an…

Statistics

We’re 88% Through The International Year Of Statistics

I hadn't any idea we'd even started. But thanks to reader Dan Hughes and his link to the Wall Street Journal story Odds Lot: Statisticians Party Like It's 2.013 x…

Statistics

Nonstatisticians Often Screw Up Statistics

Title stolen from article of same name by Leland Teschler in the trade journal Machine Design. Update Statisticians often screw up statistics, too. See below. The article is the result…

Statistics

Johnson’s Revised Standards For Statistical Evidence

Thanks to the many readers who sent me Johnson's paper, which is here (pdf). Those who haven't will want to read "Everything Wrong With P-values Under One Roof", the material…

hudbwu on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 17, 2025
Funny, many decades ago I wondered why do males exist. As in, why waste 50% of a species' total biomass…
hudbwu on How To Tell How Much Of “IQ” Is Inherited & How Much Is EnvironmentDecember 17, 2025
Okay, so the data tells us that if one twin is stupid... er, I mean, if one twin scores low…
Briggs on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 17, 2025
Rhetocrates, Quite right.
Rhetocrates on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 16, 2025
I haven't finished the whole thing, but I'd like to flag one thing that may cause confusion to readers, though…
John Pate on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 16, 2025
Referring to my previous comment, it's nature via nurture. In any complex system transferring the plans to the finished item…

William M. Briggs

No Class: But Here’s Some Homework

On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble Reviewed

How To Tell How Much Of “IQ” Is Inherited & How Much Is Environment

Class 74: Contra Effect Sizes

Academic Argues For Permissibility of Cannibalism, You Racist

I Finally Read James Lindsay’s Manifesto (Yes, He Has A Manifesto)

The Biggest Mistake In Science Applied To Universe As Simulation

Class 73: How To Tell If You Have Bad Dice

Academic Proposes Mushrooms To Avoid Compulsory Moral Bioenhancement

The Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Is Wrong: “Guns” are not the leading cause of death in kids

The Perfect Conspiracy Theory

Old Lodge Skins’ Prayer Of Thanksgiving

The Apples In A Sack Paradox: Solve It Or You Get No Pie Tomorrow

Antichrist, by Saint Robert Bellarmine

Donald vs Ishmael vs Esau — Guest Post by Ianto Watt

Class 72: Most Claims Of “Controlled For” Are Wrong: The Wrong Way

Black Women Can’t Do Physics As Well As White Men, Says Researcher

On That “Bombshell German Study” That “Exposes the PCR Test Fraud That Locked Down the World”

Masking Morality With Science: Men Pretending To Be Women In Sports

Why Study Probability?

The Dysgenics Of IVF

No Class: But Here’s Some Homework

On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble Reviewed

Every Family Has Children Until They Have A Boy: Probability Stumper

Scientists Claim Homosexual Men Have Different Faces

What Do You Call Believer in Scientism? Contest

Observational Versus Controlled Trials

Dawkins Gets It Wrong Again: Similar Is Not The Same

We’re 88% Through The International Year Of Statistics

Nonstatisticians Often Screw Up Statistics

Johnson’s Revised Standards For Statistical Evidence

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