William M. Briggs

Call For American Studies Association To Expand Boycott To United States

Members of that well known ethics group the American Studies Association met and decided that the principle of social justice (or something) demanded they boycott Israel. So they did. Not…

Statistics

On The Role Of Genetics In Politics

This paper is worth taking extra time to disassemble: "genopolitics" is part of a growing trend in the academy. The Mating Game If you can pass on your political "orientation"…

Statistics

Do Dogs Poop In Alignment With The Earth’s Magnetic Field?

The scientific life is not as glamorous as its propaganda would have you believe. It isn't all jetting from luxury hotel to tropical island conference to plan the next round…

Culture Philosophy

The Closing Of The Scientific Mind

The title was swiped from Commentary Magazine's piece of the same name by David Gelernter, which all should read. Since today is a busy day at the Briggs Ranch, just…

Culture

On Defeating The NSA: Privacy In A Time Of Government Overreach

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but…

Fun Philosophy

#ICanChangeThePast2, Or, Tweeting Time Travel

You're a time traveler stuck in July 2012. How depressing. You have time on your hands. Time to kill, that is. How to pass the time? Twitter, naturally. Great time…

Culture Philosophy

New Poll Says 40% Don’t Believe In Evolution. So What.

How many Americans know how an internal combustion engine works? There's no numbers, but saying "Maybe half, perhaps more" doesn't feel wrong, does it? Test it yourself by asking your…

Statistics

The Protocols Of The Elders Of Big Oil

Before you're used to it, it can be both fascinating and amusing to listen to the ravings of a lunatic. The way they can weave tales of persecution and nefarious…

John Pate on Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI PachinkoMay 5, 2026
Dawkins is leaning in to the idea that we've defined consciousness as what we are seeing the AI chatbots produce.…
Phileas Frogg on The Red-Blue Button Dilemma & Its Surprising AnswerMay 5, 2026
Push the Red button then order my entire family to do the same, because we are not obligated to risk…
Johnno on Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI PachinkoMay 4, 2026
This is your brain on the Theory of Evolution. Atheists should be restricted from any and all influential positions within…
John M on Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI PachinkoMay 4, 2026
My old brain still wants to read the acronym as the name Al (lower case L). That's why I like…
Brian (bulaoren) on Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI PachinkoMay 4, 2026
Can there be an "Artificial Intelligence" that does not contain "Artifacts"?

William M. Briggs

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!

Justice Ketanji Roars

Iran Has Caught Covid: A Reason For The War

Class 84: Most Important Measure of Model Goodness

There Is No Solution To Crashing Fertility: Good Times Made Soft Men

Did The Pope Really Say Health Is A “Right”?

All Models Only Say What They Are Told To Say, And AI Is A Model

It’s The End Of The World Again

Belgian Judge Wants To Arrest Little Nate Cofnast Because Cofnast Says Smart People Are Smarter Than Dumb People

Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI Pachinko

Class 88: The Most Neglected Concept: Skill

Call For American Studies Association To Expand Boycott To United States

On The Role Of Genetics In Politics

Do Dogs Poop In Alignment With The Earth’s Magnetic Field?

The Closing Of The Scientific Mind

On Defeating The NSA: Privacy In A Time Of Government Overreach

#ICanChangeThePast2, Or, Tweeting Time Travel

New Poll Says 40% Don’t Believe In Evolution. So What.

The Protocols Of The Elders Of Big Oil

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