Philosophy – Page 101 – William M. Briggs

Pascal & Barzun On Scientism

Blaise Pascal was a man smarter than I and smarter than thou. He was a scientist, mathematician, probabilist, and was deeply, deeply Catholic. Pascal as scientist warned against trusting science…

Philosophy Statistics

Logical Probability Data Analysis, Measurement Error Example

Read the introduction to this first. If you don't, you will be lost, lost, lost. Logical probability answer to B The answer to B follows from A. The picture is…

Philosophy Statistics

What Do Means Mean?

Update In order that it does not get lost over the weekend, part two of this post will run on Sunday. This is part one of a two part post,…

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The Alternative To P-Values

I apologize for the abruptness of the notation. It will be understandable only to a few. I don't like to use it without sufficient background because the risk of reification…

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Everything Wrong With P-Values Under One Roof

Update 8 January 2019. This post has been superseded! There is an official paper of this material, greatly expanded and vetted. SEE THIS NEW POST. THE NEW PAPER: Here is…

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On The Evidence From Experiments: Part IV

Read Part I, II, III. We are nearly at the point where we can say something about the candidate proposition of interest: "Treatment cures cancer of the albondigas." It is…

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On The Evidence From Experiments: Part III

Read Part I, Part II first. All other propositions are contingent. For example, it is not necessarily true that your treatment should be a cure for cancer of the albondigas…

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On The Evidence From Experiments: Part II

Read Part I first. Outcome 3. This sound like good news for you, since all treatment Bobs got better and no placebo Bobs did. Congratulations! The treatment might have caused…

Williis Eschenbach on Why Study Probability?November 17, 2025
Thanks, Matt, much appreciated. w.
John Pate on Why Study Probability?November 17, 2025
Can't agree with Briggs on this, I agree with Tesla; "Today's scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander…
Briggs on Why Study Probability?November 17, 2025
Willis, I have just about finished a brief answer to you (about 3,000 words), which because of the importance and…
John Pate on Why Study Probability?November 17, 2025
Eschenbach you're becoming a caricature of modern scientism. I've explained to you why your Aunt Sally is bogus and the…
Williis Eschenbach on Why Study Probability?November 16, 2025
John, I asked a THEORETICAL question. Pointing out that there are real-world options is MEANINGLESS to my question. How about…