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16th September 2008, 01:01 AM | #1 |
Penguilicious Spodmaster.
Tagger Join Date: May 2005
Location: Ponylandistan Presidential Palace (above the Spods' stables).
Posts: 45,220
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Michael Shermer: Why Our Brains Do Not Intuitively Grasp Probabilities
For your reading pleasure.
Quote:
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16th September 2008, 07:16 AM | #2 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 21,629
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16th September 2008, 07:54 AM | #3 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
Posts: 13,231
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A well-stated summary of ideas I've tried to point out for years. (less well-stated....)
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16th September 2008, 10:24 AM | #4 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,942
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16th September 2008, 10:38 AM | #5 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 28,766
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7 bits/sec is the more common figure for mental activity. But how many bits are required to compose a miraculous message?
I'd say a meaningful one bit message would indeed be fairly improbable. Even "NO" comprises rather more than one bit. |
16th September 2008, 10:53 AM | #6 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,289
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I don't have my copy handy, but I believe Richard Dawkins' book A Devil's Chaplain contained an essay along similar lines that I would also recommend.
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