William M. Briggs

A safe, but misleading, prediction about global warming

Reuters's, on 3 January, had this headline, "2008 to be in top 10 warmest years say forecasters." A quote: 2008 will be slightly cooler than recent years globally but will…

Statistics

Asinine comparison of holocaust deniers and honest scientists

Some guy named Joel Connelly at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has written another one of those "We must do something now" global warming articles. What makes his piece distinct is that…

Philosophy

Mr. Word’s definition of the day: to change

"To alter; to make different; to cause to pass from one state to another; as, to change the position, character, or appearance of a thing; to change the countenance." --…

Statistics

How much does winning Iowa and New Hampshire help?

On the earlier poll thread, a reader asked "What's your opinion about the statistical summary of past results of Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries?" pointing out data from Neatorama.com.…

Fun

Mr. Word’s definition of the day: to gush

"To make a sentimental or untimely exhibition of affection; to display enthusiasm in a silly, demonstrative manner." -- Webster, 1913. For example, this snippet from today's New York Times editorial.…

Statistics

73.2% of Likely Voters Believe Poll Results

Pollster: Who will you vote for? Civilian: Oh, I don't know; that guy, the tall one. Pollster: I'll put you down for Obama. The elections in Iowa are over and…

Oil prices through time: a well-done graph

Source: Wall Street Journal This image, shrunk 50% from it's original size, is a very well-done statistical graph. It shows, in the pale green line, the inflation-adjusted price of a…

Frank Furedi on the global warming apocalypse

Frank Fuerdi, of Spiked Online, has a delightful article on the daily barrage of panic we hear, in which he says, "In the past year, the threat of doom ?…

John Pate on Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism ManifestoOctober 27, 2026
I long ago concluded that people like this are only fit for laughing and pointing at. They are mentally ill…
C-Marie on Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism ManifestoOctober 27, 2026
And, Jesus Christ? Lord and Saviour .... So sad, leaving out God our Father .... And the Holy Spirit ....…
Cary Cotterman on Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism ManifestoOctober 26, 2026
I'm probably going to croak sometime within the next twenty years, but at least I have the pleasure of being…
Tars Tarkas on Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism ManifestoOctober 26, 2026
There are thousand year old machines in England still capable of running, though not in general use. I saw a…
NLR on Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism ManifestoOctober 26, 2026
All of this is vast speculation. Is it possible for people to live much longer, hundreds of years? Maybe so.…

William M. Briggs

Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism Manifesto

Class 98: Limitations of Genetic Associations With Personality

I’m Thinking Of A Number Between 1 and 5 (that you can’t guess)

Against Numerology: Some Basic Calculations

Class 97: The Goal Of Models

Book Update

Sexual Assault Galore At Cornell

Class 96: Can Bayesianism Quantify True Belief?

Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save Us

Viewer Asks: Why Do I Bother?

Academics Call For The Killing Of Babies In “After-Birth” Abortions

Irrational Rationalists: Effective Altruists & The Planet of the Ants

Class 95: Answering P-Value Good Uses Challenges

Whoring For Climate Change

Lady Academics Tire Of Being Judged By Peer Review

Class 94: Quantifying The Unquantifiable

PFAS and Preservatives: Entrenching Chemophobia through Everyday Stuff — Guest Post by Jaap Hanekamp

The MRS Degree — Guest Post by Johnathan Edwards

Politicians Demand “Right” To Be Protected Against AI

Class 93: P-values Challenge! List The “Good Uses” of P-value

Is the West Dying Out? The Demographic Crisis Explained: Jon Harris Podcast

Reading Bryan Johnson’s The Immortalism Manifesto

Class 98: Limitations of Genetic Associations With Personality

A safe, but misleading, prediction about global warming

Asinine comparison of holocaust deniers and honest scientists

Mr. Word’s definition of the day: to change

How much does winning Iowa and New Hampshire help?

Mr. Word’s definition of the day: to gush

73.2% of Likely Voters Believe Poll Results

Oil prices through time: a well-done graph

Frank Furedi on the global warming apocalypse

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