William M. Briggs

All Forecasts, Predictions, & Prophecies Are Contingent

Yesterday I made the point that Jim Hansen's latest threat of doom was a conditional one. I also said that there was nothing wrong with this. And there isn't. Nothing…

Statistics

Boy Sues Government To Stop Global Warming. James Hansen Comes Out Of Hiding

I had thought the furor was over, that those who held ultramontane views about climatologists like James "Lock me up!" Hansen (see below the fold) had given up and gone…

Culture Statistics

Many Lie About Their Support Of Gay Marriage: Study

Thanks to New York Times's (yes) Russ Douthat who alerted us to the paper "Findings from a Decade of Polling on Ballot Measures Regarding the Legal Status of SameÂ Sex…

Culture Philosophy

What The North Carolina Gay Marriage Vote Means To You If You Were Against It

North Carolina voted 61 to 39 to amend its constitution to read that marriage is solely a union between a man and a woman. This was, as far as democratic…

Philosophy

Heartland Institute Accomplishes Act To Self Once Thought Physically Impossible

At the risk of losing the argument before it begins, let me ask you two questions. Number One: What do Adolph Hitler, Mao Tse-tung, serial killer and eater Jeffrey Dahmer,…

Statistics

Study Finds 9-Month-Old Babies Are Racist

MSNBC reports this: University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers placed sensors on the heads of 9-month-old babies...and measured brain activity when infants were shown pictures of white and black faces expressing…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

The Dire And Depressing Implications Of Science As Scientism: Two Introductions

A long introduction... Scientism is the fallacy that all that is known and all that can be known, can only be known through scientific methods: that which is testable is…

Culture Statistics

Why Republicans Deny Science—And Reality: Request For Help

Update The link to Sam Harris's abysmal study are now provided. That is the (modified) subtitle of the sanctimoniously self-satisfied Chris Mooney's new book, "The Republican Brain: The Science of…

spaceranger on Antichrist, by Saint Robert BellarmineNovember 27, 2025
The online world is our graven image and celebrity culture our false idol.
Brian (bulaoren) on Old Lodge Skins’ Prayer Of ThanksgivingNovember 27, 2025
One thing I am always grateful for (well, 4 days a week) is being able to enjoy your posts. Thank…
Uncle Mike on Old Lodge Skins’ Prayer Of ThanksgivingNovember 27, 2025
Gratitude (n.) mid-15c., "good will," from Latin gratus "thankful, pleasing, agreeable" related to Latin gratis "favor, mercy, virtue" (source of…
Tracy Platt on The Apples In A Sack Paradox: Solve It Or You Get No Pie TomorrowNovember 26, 2025
I think Rudolf comes closest except for this being a garbage problem. My guess is we will see similar arguments…
John Pate on The Apples In A Sack Paradox: Solve It Or You Get No Pie TomorrowNovember 26, 2025
Mr Harrier is on the right lines: see previous blog where I was berating sundry for worrying about using probability…

William M. Briggs

Old Lodge Skins’ Prayer Of Thanksgiving

The Apples In A Sack Paradox: Solve It Or You Get No Pie Tomorrow

Antichrist, by Saint Robert Bellarmine

Donald vs Ishmael vs Esau — Guest Post by Ianto Watt

Class 72: Most Claims Of “Controlled For” Are Wrong: The Wrong Way

Black Women Can’t Do Physics As Well As White Men, Says Researcher

On That “Bombshell German Study” That “Exposes the PCR Test Fraud That Locked Down the World”

Masking Morality With Science: Men Pretending To Be Women In Sports

Why Study Probability?

The Dysgenics Of IVF

In Which An Atheist Becomes Sputteringly Angry Over Theist’s Argument

Academics Debate Which Term Best Describes Those Who Love (in that way) Their Pillows

Class 71: Never Trust ‘Research Shows’ Headlines: We Bring Cause To Data

Diversity Patrol Scanning Citations For Victims

Little Nate’s Plan To Save The World

Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education Causes Mass Squealing

Stay The Course: Have Some Class

Last Call For Alcohol-Cancer Papers

UFO Hits United Flight. All Survive. This Time!

Changes Are Coming: Our Return to 1970s

Class 70: Most Claims Of “Controlled For” Are Wrong: The Right Way