Statistics – Page 239 – William M. Briggs

What Probably Isn’t: Heat Waves and Nine Feet Tall Men: Part I

Probability is screwy, and we statisticians do a horrible, rotten job of teaching it. The first thing students learn in normal statistics classes is about "measures of central tendency" or…

Statistics

Men Nine Feet Tall And Bayes Theorem

The OFloinn put up a most readable and recommended essay When is Weather Really "Climate"? and in one of the comments a reader named Gyan in part said: Many economists…

Culture Statistics

The Decline And Increase Of Mainstream Religions In The USA: With Pictures!

The Episcopals, like many other old guard protesting religions, are in trouble. Jay Akasie tells us that at this year's annual conclave, the Episcopalian leadership had their most serious discussions…

Philosophy Statistics

Certainty & Uncertainty: Logical Probability & Statistics

Since we have spent the weekend with these matters, I thought it appropriate to include the first part of the Introduction to the new book I've been working on. It…

Philosophy Statistics

More On The 1 in 1.6 Million Heat Wave Chance

Yesterday we looked at NCDC's claim that the 13-month stretch of "above-normal" temperatures had only a 1 in 1.6 million chance of occurring. Let's today clarify the criticism. The NCDC…

Philosophy Statistics

Chance Of Heat Wave Only 1 in 1.6 Million? Or, Probability Gone Wrong

My dad took a swing with his nine-iron and the wiffle simulacrum of a golf ball took flight, arched upwards, spun left and, without bouncing, landed atop my favorite blade…

Fun Statistics

How Good Are You At Making Sports Predictions?

I'm traveling today so I thought I'd remind us of ShortBurst sports, Edgehogs as was. Make picks in all major sports, even the God-help-us Olympics, and track your prognosticatory prowess.…

Statistics

Observational Bayes > Parametric Bayes > Hypothesis Testing < Looking

This is a completion of the post I started two weeks ago which shows that "predictive" or "observational" Bayes is better than classical, parametric Bayes, which is far superior to…

Tars Tarkas on Merry Christmas!December 25, 2025
Merry Christmas Mr Briggs. Thanks for all the essays this year.
McChuck on Complete List Of All Moral & Ethical Questions Answered By ScienceDecember 25, 2025
Merry Christmas! "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."
Cary D Cotterman on Complete List Of All Moral & Ethical Questions Answered By ScienceDecember 24, 2025
A quarter-inch-drive ratchet with a set of sockets doesn't answer any moral and ethical questions, but it's damned useful. Merry…
Uncle Mike on Complete List Of All Moral & Ethical Questions Answered By ScienceDecember 24, 2025
Christmas is another question Science has no explanation for. Joy and peace to you and yours.
Faith on Complete List Of All Moral & Ethical Questions Answered By ScienceDecember 24, 2025
Briggs, you're the best! Merry Christmas!