2013 – Page 19 – William M. Briggs

Belloc On The Limited Intelligence Of Scientists

From Hilaire Belloc's Richelieu, J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia & Londen, 1929, p. 23, in the context of disproving the social theory of historical events, i.e. the one which claims individuals…

Book review Philosophy

Our Brains Are Not Us: Review of Brainwashed

My nomination for Worst Use of Inference in a Scientific Paper (2009) is "The neural correlates of religious and nonreligious belief" by brain scientist cum philosopher Sam Harris and colleagues.…

Statistics

The Epidemiologist Fallacy Strikes Again. EPA, CARB, And Air Pollution

Here is an email I received from Jim Enstrom of the Scientific Integrity Institute (modified to embed the links; incidentally, CARB is the California Air Resources Board, a source of…

Culture

What’s Happening Between Russia And The Church?

No, really. I'm asking. I don't know but would like to. Something's brewing, or perhaps has already brewed. Consider these points: Item Patriarch Kirill "warned Western governments on Sunday against…

Statistics

Rise In Violence Linked To Poor Statistics. Or Climate Change

Welcome Der Spiegel readers. See also this post. The computer revolution has been as bloody, wrenching, and disruptive as any other conflict. But unlike in territorial wars where there are…

Philosophy

We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, Researchers

Blockbuster science headline of last week was "Neuroscientists plant false memories in the brain." The whetted some intellects---if intellects can be whetted---and caused others to tizzy. Philip Dick turned out…

Fun

Young Writer (Not Me) Seeks Employment

Ladies and Gentlemen---and you, too, Fran---may I introduce William J. Briggs, my number one son. Note the "J": he's named after my father, not myself. I call him James, but…

Culture

XKeyscore: Too Early For I Told You So?

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety, unless they're scared of terrorists, and then it's okay---Benjamin Franklin So the…

Cary D Cotterman on Researcher Imagines Weather With No Human Influence: Concludes Climate Change Hurts IncomesMarch 3, 2026
87 octane gasoline averages $4.67 per gallon in California today. Oil refineries are being driven out of the state by…
Cary D Cotterman on Researcher Imagines Weather With No Human Influence: Concludes Climate Change Hurts IncomesMarch 3, 2026
"...accounts for how climate change has affected each county’s economy..." Seriously? He looked at the economies and climate effects of…
Uncle Mike on Researcher Imagines Weather With No Human Influence: Concludes Climate Change Hurts IncomesMarch 3, 2026
George had to cross the Delaware during the Little Ice Age. That affected the climate. So did the 18th Century…
Tars Tarkas on Researcher Imagines Weather With No Human Influence: Concludes Climate Change Hurts IncomesMarch 3, 2026
Now tell him to do a paper on how much poorer we would be without fossil fuels. George Washington would…
Paul on Researcher Imagines Weather With No Human Influence: Concludes Climate Change Hurts IncomesMarch 3, 2026
Ah, but the CI passes through zero.