Re: virus: stats

Eric Boyd (6ceb3@qlink.queensu.ca)
Thu, 24 Jul 1997 19:35:06 -0500


Reed Konsler wrote:

> Are you asserting that there is no alternative system of understanding?
> How do you measure wisdom? happiness? enlightenment?
> Who has more Zen than you? What kind of nothing is bigger than zero?

Funny, I didn't think so... I was, in fact, pointing out the very
opposite thing in the last message. All I said was that becuase of the
nature of statistics, 50% of the population will be "below average" on
any given scale.
And then I made big talk about the scales being different for different
people, and thus the entire idea of "average" was meaningless. (I
believe I said "So who is above average?")

> In order to define the world according to Cartasian axes you first have to
> pound a stake into the fabric of existence and call it "the origin".
>
> X marks the spot.

Very nice analogy. No only do you have to pound the stake, however, you
actually have to beleive that there *is* a fabric to pound it into! And
then you have to "invent" the sludge hammer to drive it with, and the
cord you use to measure distances from it (not to mention the concept of
"distance" itself). And by the time you are done, 50% of the population
is "above average." But that doesn't tell you anything more than you
assumed in the process of creating the scales to measure by...

> Where are you when you are here?

And which is a mouse if it spins?

ERiC