Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
What Statistics Really Is: Paradox Digression
Read Part I We're taking a small digression to answer a question put by Deborah Mayo in Part I, pointing to this article on her site. Mayo should be on…
Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
What Statistics Really Is: Part I
It's so simple that you'll think I'm kidding. Worse, the way I'll show it is such a radical departure from the manner in which you're used to thinking about probability…
Huffington Post Gives Helpful ‘To Do’ List To Pope Francis
I didn't finish the 'What Statistics Really Is' post so you have to settle for this. After (I imagine) completing a rock-solid thirty minutes of intense theological studies and drawing…
Posted inCulture
Secularists Solemnize? Abortion Sacred?
The Center for Inquiry sent me a solicitation asking would I like to be trained, for a modest consideration, to be a "Secular Celebrant." What is that? As many as…
Posted inStatistics
Statistics Talk: Chances Are You’re Doing It Wrong
The problem with statistics is the astonishing amount of magical thinking tolerated. A statistician---or his apprentice; this means you---waving a formula over a dataset is little different than an alchemist…
Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
What Scientific Idea Is Ready For Retirement? Hypothesis Tests
Edge asked a whopping number of named persons which ideas are ready to be expunged from the thing that is Science. Somehow my invitation got lost in the aether, an…
Posted inPhilosophy
Quantum Mechanics & Free Will: Guest Post by Bob Kurland
This post originally appeared in longer form at Bob's place. There's a lot of meat here; I recommend biting it off in small chunks. "Of course I believe in free…
Posted inCulture Philosophy Statistics
Malthus’ Proof That Welfare Leads To Increasing Need For Welfare
First person that giggles at my hand drawings gets a mean look. My computing facilities are somewhat lacking... This of course is only a cartoon, but a helpful one of…