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27 Apr 13
For people on both sides who think about miracles and prophesies:
http://www.radiolab.org/people/laura-buxton/
There is a "listen" button and a "download" button. The segment is the first 20 minutes or so. Try a listen for a few minutes until you know why I'm recommending it to such people as described above, and decide if it's for you.
The full hour has to do with related things.
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27 Apr 13
Originally posted by JS357is this the balloon lady, laura buxton? i cant listen at the moment due to my missus watching 'the voice'😞 but i think i know the story
For people on both sides who think about miracles and prophesies:
http://www.radiolab.org/people/laura-buxton/
There is a "listen" button and a "download" button. The segment is the first 20 minutes or so. Try a listen for a few minutes until you know why I'm recommending it to such people as described above, and decide if it's for you.
The full hour has to do with related things.
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- 6788
27 Apr 13
Originally posted by stellspalfieThat's her. Them.
is this the balloon lady, laura buxton? i cant listen at the moment due to my missus watching 'the voice'😞 but i think i know the story
The story is rather dry when read about. The Radiolab report is riveting and goes into explanations of how's and why's.
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27 Apr 13
Originally posted by Keplerhave you ever listened to the infinite monkey cage? they did a brilliant episode on coincidence,random events and statistical odds. made me feel a bit thick, but pushed me to back into studying a bit of maths.
It is interesting so far. A discussion of how random events can appear miraculous and how humans aren't very good at imagining randomness.
27 Apr 13
Originally posted by stellspalfieThat's one I must look up some time. Probability is something I find fascinating.
have you ever listened to the infinite monkey cage? they did a brilliant episode on coincidence,random events and statistical odds. made me feel a bit thick, but pushed me to back into studying a bit of maths.
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27 Apr 13
Originally posted by Keplerit is fascinating. especially as we as humans seem to struggle with it so much. they do this thing where they look at how many people do you need before to make it probable that you will get two with the same birthday and most people predict that you will need 183 or something like that, but the correct answer is around 20, still blows my tiny mind.
That's one I must look up some time. Probability is something I find fascinating.
27 Apr 13
Originally posted by stellspalfie20 is about right. I play that game with my own students. Works well. We aren't very good at seeing that random things are random and we aren't very good at predicting what randomness looks like.
it is fascinating. especially as we as humans seem to struggle with it so much. they do this thing where they look at how many people do you need before to make it probable that you will get two with the same birthday and most people predict that you will need 183 or something like that, but the correct answer is around 20, still blows my tiny mind.
27 Apr 13
2 edits
Originally posted by stellspalfieMaybe, that is why you guys don't believe in the creation of the heavens and the earth and life forms by God, because you think it could all easily happen by random chance and the random chance of natural selection. Just add enough time, like billions of years, which we don't have anyway. Does this sound familiar?
it is fascinating. especially as we as humans seem to struggle with it so much. they do this thing where they look at how many people do you need before to make it probable that you will get two with the same birthday and most people predict that you will need 183 or something like that, but the correct answer is around 20, still blows my tiny mind.
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27 Apr 13
1 edit
Originally posted by stellspalfieThey don't do the math. That would be like the Drake equation (too many guesses at probability). But later in a more quantifiable example, they cover the idea that seemingly unlikely coincidences are very likely to occur, given enough opportunities.
does it look at the statistical odds it happening?
28 Apr 13
Originally posted by KeplerIt's about 50% at around 20 or 21 as I recall. And then about 90% at double that.
20 is about right. I play that game with my own students. Works well. We aren't very good at seeing that random things are random and we aren't very good at predicting what randomness looks like.
28 Apr 13
Originally posted by avalanchethecat23 gets you 50.7%, 50 gets you 97% and so on. So don't do as I do and bet on 20 or 21! I always make sure to use loaded dice, I refer to my students' records to find out whether or not any of them do share a birthday!
It's about 50% at around 20 or 21 as I recall. And then about 90% at double that.