William M. Briggs

Hats Are Back! Staring At Women’s Breasts Lowers Math Scores!

Fedoras For Fellas While watching an exquisite interpretation of the classic hose-in-the-face by one Curley "Babe" Howard on television, I inadvertently saw a commercial for the movie The Adjustment Bureau…

Culture

CliffsNotes for CliffsNotes: Now With Even Less Reading!

If there's one thing that's wrong with this country, it's that our poor, overworked, not-nearly-pampered enough children have too much reading to do. Why, there's Twitter ("#lindsaylohan Hate when i…

Culture Philosophy

Citizen Zings Deepak Chopra With Bolt Of Logic

From regular reader Bruce Foutch comes this video of a citizen asking "quantum healing" guru Deepak Chopra and some "Bishop" a simple question. The transcript reads: Emcee: I want to…

Statistics

Two Open Letters To Congress On Climate Change, And A New Third

There are two open letters shot off to Congress these last days, one from "alarmist" scientists and the other from "denialist" scientists1. Those pejoratives were not picked by me, but…

Statistics

In Their Own Words: Obama On Health, Holder On Race

Pay for your own damn health care In an interview with Bill O'Reilly, President O'bama said What I hear you saying is that the notion that us saying to people…

Culture

Music Not So Super At Super Bowl: Faked Cheering?

Oh, say, can you see, by the field's klieg lights, what so proudly we hailed? And proudly hailed to the world over in full Dolby surround-sound HD. What an embarrassment!…

Statistics

A Correction: I’ve Been Misquoted

On Thursday, 3 February of this year I was called by Saginaw News reporter Deborah Brown, who asked me, among other things, about claims made by folks like Al Gore…

Fun Statistics

Super Bowl Indicator Busted: A Sports/Markets Indicator for the Next Century—Guest Post by Doug Magowan

Doug Magowan spends his days poring over financial numbers. Today he offers us, tongue firmly in cheek, a new way to get rich quick. All you have to do is…

NLR on Sabine Hossenfelder’s Free Will Folly & The Deadly Sin Of ReificationJune 26, 2025
One can make an argument that the models of physics exist in the minds of physicists and the fact that…
Shack Toms on What Are The Chances Thomas Jefferson & John Adams Died On The Fourth of July, 1826?June 26, 2025
What is the probability that today is July 4, 2025? Somehow, I think this is a matter of my perspective.…
The True Nolan on Sabine Hossenfelder’s Free Will Folly & The Deadly Sin Of ReificationJune 26, 2025
"Those equations are her model of the world, and to her the model is the world. That is the Deadly…
Uncle Mike on Class 56: The Best Model!June 26, 2025
"The best model is no model! Display your data instead." Yes. Absolutely. However, easier said than done. There are lots…
fergus on Sabine Hossenfelder’s Free Will Folly & The Deadly Sin Of ReificationJune 26, 2025
So much confusion with so many strawmen thrown in that video and this discussion. First, it is a nice thing…

William M. Briggs

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?

Class 51: Bayes Is Only A Formula

Blacks Have Black Fatigue: Who Is At Fault?

Class 56: The Best Model!

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

Hats Are Back! Staring At Women’s Breasts Lowers Math Scores!

CliffsNotes for CliffsNotes: Now With Even Less Reading!

Citizen Zings Deepak Chopra With Bolt Of Logic

Two Open Letters To Congress On Climate Change, And A New Third

In Their Own Words: Obama On Health, Holder On Race

Music Not So Super At Super Bowl: Faked Cheering?

A Correction: I’ve Been Misquoted

Super Bowl Indicator Busted: A Sports/Markets Indicator for the Next Century—Guest Post by Doug Magowan

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