Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
Ivy League Climate Skeptics
I received this email from Rob Fishman at the Huffington Post. My answer follows. I'm the social media editor here at HuffPost (and a Cornell alum). I came across your…
Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
Classical Statistics Is Like A Criminal Trial
What is A crime has been committed. Evidence---probative background information---points to a list of suspects, a list which, as always, might be incomplete. A most likely candidate is made to…
Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
What’s Wrong With Hypothesis Testing: Reader Question
I received this email from long-time reader Ivin Rhyne, which is so well put that I thought we should all see it (I'm quoting with permission): Matt, I just got…
Posted inCulture Philosophy
John Cage’s 4′ 33″
As much as I think his theories are composed of aether, I wish, and heartily too, that John Cage's masterpiece 4' 33" were pumped through public speakers more often. I…
Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
What Is A “Statistically Significant Trend”?
Longtime reader Nate Winchester found a discussion---among the many, many---of global warming data revolving around statistics, from which we take the following snippet: You just do the statistics on the…
Posted inPhilosophy Statistics
Tolkien Wants A King, Cheating With Statistics
Cheating With Statistics Reader Matt Lewis points us to Planet Moron, to an article which tears apart a statistical argument used by the Washington Post, an argument which sought to…
Posted inCulture Philosophy Statistics
Eliminating Randomness Reduces Need For God And Increases Belief In Evolution
Caution! The experiment I'm about to explain might increase your belief in God. It should only be attempted by academics who are immune to such deleterious effects. Got a pair…
Posted inPhilosophy
High Priests Of (Climate) Science
"And thy response shall be: 'Nothing hear our prayer'," said the high priest of the Church of Science. "Nothing hear our prayer," intoned the congregation. "For we shall be a…