Isn't everything said basically based off of statistical trends?
Anyways, it makes complete sense. Please try to debunk the senseness of it.
I think what Asbo is saying is that he's a far right nuttie who hates abortion, and reads Ayn Rand like Neil Boortz uses toilet paper.
I think what Asbo is saying is that he's a far right nuttie who hates abortion, and reads Ayn Rand like Neil Boortz uses toilet paper.
didn't Vic Reeves once say 88.7% of statistics are made up on the spot?
dude, you have to read the paper. it's not just hand waving.There was a sudden decrease of crime in the 1990s http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ DUM DUM DUM We are actually going through another downturn in crime 2002-2006, George Bush reduced violent crime!
No one bothered to point out they've only kept records since 1969. It is possible that it falls within normal distribution given population size over some unknown period of time. That a massive population explosion was nearing it's 18-25 y/o mark (baby boomers) at that time. The only thing it proves is that, ignoring all other factors, 18 years after abortion was legalized crime went down in the 20th century.
Nixon first visited China and established trading with them in 1973. 18 years later the crime rate went down. Obviously the effect of trading with china was a decrease in crime.
YOU SEE WHAT I DID THAR?
that's exactly the importance of freakonomics. economists have a plethora of tools that have seldom been applied to anything other than core economic subjects. freakonomics, and the growing field of applied economics in general, takes those tools and applies them elsewhere. Levitt readily admits he couldn't even begin to write monetary policy, but he does understand the application of economic principles to actual testable situations. check out the bit on catching cheating teachers. it's brilliant.Meh. Inferential statistics work when you have a COMPLETE model of the system they are being used for. Video games would be a good example, statistic analysis is essential for most strategy games, EVE Online is called "spreadsheets in space."
There is no complete model of reality though. Statistics make good supporting evidence because they are descriptive, but inferring truth from data in a system that is for all rational intents 'random' is faulty reasoning.
It is interesting. Entertaining even. I liked that book. Using to arrive at truths... eh. It was written by an economist. There is an expression: when all you have is a hammer all your problems look like nails.
Ah my more interesting contribution gets answered. ^.^that's exactly the importance of freakonomics. economists have a plethora of tools that have seldom been applied to anything other than core economic subjects. freakonomics, and the growing field of applied economics in general, takes those tools and applies them elsewhere. Levitt readily admits he couldn't even begin to write monetary policy, but he does understand the application of economic principles to actual testable situations. check out the bit on catching cheating teachers. it's brilliant.
I'm probably in the minority on this one, but I have to say, it's easy to advocate abortion when you're not the one getting aborted.
i used to be hardcore pro-life. now i don't know what i am, and i haven't been able to figure it out for years. i see how where abortion makes "sense," but i still can't jump on board with it, either.