Briggs

A Case Of Bad Statistics In An IQ-Intelligence Study

We're going to soon talk more about "IQ" and "intelligence". I'm working on a more in-depth article on the subject to carefully explicate the vast over-certainties I see on "both…

Fun

How’d We Do On Our 2018 Predictions?

How'd we do? Let me put it this way: the Magic 8 Ball is in no danger of losing its position as top soothsayer. We were game, but overall there…

Fun

Register Your Predictions For 2019!

As has been our tradition these many years, it's time to register our predictions for the coming year. We look at how well we did last year tomorrow. Rules: Number…

Statistics

The Probability Of Your Existence

A version of this column originally ran 7 July 2014. To the nearest order of magnitude, there have existed, including us, about 100 billion human beings. This proves what was…

Statistics

The Monty Hall Problem — Solved!

In honor of Monty Hall, who passed away this past weekend (in October 2017), this classic article (which ran long ago, the date lost due to the hacking, solving his…

Statistics

How Many Geniuses Are There?

This post originally appeared 15 September 2008. Here is a question I often give on exams: What is the probability that the next child to be born will be a…

Fun Statistics

The Probability of Monkeys Typing Shakespeare

This article, which originally appeared 20 May 2010, was inspired by reading Fredwin On Evolution, as wisely suggested by reader Bob Ludwick. At the bottom of Fred's piece, there appears…

Philosophy Statistics

Dutch Book: Or, How to Gamble

This post first appeared sometime before 2012, but I lost the original date due to the hacking. If you are a gambler, you'll be delighted to learn that there is…

J. Johnson on Class 65: A Last Plea Never To Use Or Trust Statistical Evidence Like ThisSeptember 18, 2025
Well you convinced me to never use p-values, and how to articulate to others why they shouldn’t either. I’d say…
Ed on Class 65: A Last Plea Never To Use Or Trust Statistical Evidence Like ThisSeptember 18, 2025
As a teacher who's seen, in the eyes of many a student (pun intended), the inglorious mist of complete misunderstanding,…
Uncle Mike on Class 65: A Last Plea Never To Use Or Trust Statistical Evidence Like ThisSeptember 18, 2025
I disagree with your hypothesis that "my career has largely been a failure". You shouldn't expect the world to immediately…
McChuck on Class 65: A Last Plea Never To Use Or Trust Statistical Evidence Like ThisSeptember 18, 2025
Modern scientific statistics is nothing more than a roleplaying game based on a 20 sided die. The game master (study…
Brian (bulaoren) on Lacent’s Vaccination Model Says What Its Told To SaySeptember 17, 2025
Sorry, the same printer's devils who occasionally sabotage Dr. Brigg's publications must have attacked my previous post; Should read; "ouroboros".…