William M. Briggs

Replacements for Representation: Bayes From the Ground Up

A primary justification for Bayesian probability is De Finetti's representation theorem, which is stated like this. You are to observe a sequence of 0s and 1s, "failures" and "successes" if…

Philosophy Statistics

Finitism, Physics, Cellular Automata: The Universe as Logic

In no way is this article meant to be complete. It is more in the way of musings---a crude introduction---so that we can see where to go. Is the universe…

Philosophy Statistics

Postmodernism and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science

Since I am, by nature, a compassionate individual, I had been thinking of how we might Sokal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS). It is for their…

Statistics

Feigned Surprises of the Week: Journolist and Our New Tax

Said the main-stream journalist on Journolist, "If they of the right wing don't behave and treat our Golden Boy properly, we'll call them racists. It matters not whom we pick…

Fun Statistics

A Bust—I mean must—Read; Or, An Evolution in Bra Sizes

"Excuse me, miss. Would you care to participate in science?" Sometimes being a statistician is enviable. In a flash of scientific brilliance, Australian statisticians have just completed a massive study…

Fun Statistics

M. Night Shyamalan, Mel Gibson, and John Wayne

Part II of the Two-Envelope problem was not too friendly, so here's something that is. Via HotAir, I came across the site Marginal Revolution, in which was featured a graph…

Philosophy Statistics

The Two-Envelope Problem Solution: Part II

Read Part I first. We are in the peek first game here. The distribution of N When X is odd, and all X are discrete, we know we should always…

Philosophy Statistics

The Two-Envelope Problem Solution: Part I

Another probability "paradox", the two-envelope problem1, goes like this: Before you are two envelopes, A and B. One of them contains $X and the other $2X (which is equivalent to…

Frances on Who Still Listens To AM Radio?January 28, 2026
In Australia, there are quite a few AM stations. Definitely better reception with FM especially with the severe summer storms…
BDavi52 on Who Still Listens To AM Radio?January 28, 2026
AM radio sat at the center of every Boomer's life 1960-1970. FM may have been out there, but for the…
Cary D Cotterman on Who Still Listens To AM Radio?January 28, 2026
Since you mentioned rotary dial telephones...my wife's teenage niece was at our house, and I found her looking at my…
Cary D Cotterman on Who Still Listens To AM Radio?January 28, 2026
Over sixty, definitely grumpy. My dad was an AM radio engineer, announcer, and disc jockey at stations all over California…
Brian (bulaoren) on Who Still Listens To AM Radio?January 28, 2026
From 2000 till 2020 I was living outside the US, (and radio wasn't much fun in China).When I returned, AM…

William M. Briggs

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

Merry Christmas!

Complete List Of All Moral & Ethical Questions Answered By Science

Why British & EU Rulers Are Juicing War With Russia

Climate Models

Who Still Listens To AM Radio?

Scientists Invent New Name For Models: Digital Twins

Replacements for Representation: Bayes From the Ground Up

Finitism, Physics, Cellular Automata: The Universe as Logic

Postmodernism and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science

Feigned Surprises of the Week: Journolist and Our New Tax

A Bust—I mean must—Read; Or, An Evolution in Bra Sizes

M. Night Shyamalan, Mel Gibson, and John Wayne

The Two-Envelope Problem Solution: Part II

The Two-Envelope Problem Solution: Part I

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