tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418171424349595525.post888685527296597813..comments2010-10-19T12:04:12.440-07:00Comments on Basebology (The Study of Baseball): Does anyone here know math?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418171424349595525.post-49709635550532508992007-07-24T11:42:00.000-07:002007-07-24T11:42:00.000-07:00I agree that people don't reason things out very w...I agree that people don't reason things out very well these days. I don't pay much attention to opinion polls, but the editorial page can be a riot!Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05992611798455984316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418171424349595525.post-72747709346530645952007-07-24T07:01:00.000-07:002007-07-24T07:01:00.000-07:00I'll allow that most people weren't actually think...I'll allow that most people weren't actually thinking about the question. That's fine. It's just a silly ESPN poll.<BR/><BR/>However, this is <I>not</I> a statistics problem. It's a basic reasoning problem. You only need to know how to subtract to to have a <I>very</I> basic idea of how often baseball teams win and lose.<BR/><BR/>As for calling people dumb, relax. For the most part, I'm just hamming it up a bit. It is a blog, after all. However, I submit that if you think people in general have a well developed sense of reason, you haven't been paying very much attention to public opinion lately.John Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331641225948161347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418171424349595525.post-81024536340990292912007-07-24T05:36:00.000-07:002007-07-24T05:36:00.000-07:00There's a difference between being dumb and genera...There's a difference between being dumb and generally understanding baseball statistics. With a clear explanation of how statistics works, which you gave for this particular instance, many of those voters would probably change their mind. Be careful here. Statistics are your particular interest, and many people probably shot off a quick answer to this poll, who with a little more reflection, might have caught their mistake. It's too easy to say "dumb" when the correct situation is "uninformed" or "hasty". "Dumb" is persisting in an incorrect conclusion when the evidence shows their position is indefensible.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05992611798455984316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418171424349595525.post-75450941650080453832007-07-17T16:35:00.001-07:002007-07-17T16:35:00.001-07:00And by "nothing to agree about," I definitely mean...And by "nothing to agree about," I definitely mean "nothing about which to agree."John Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331641225948161347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418171424349595525.post-35469245202247297672007-07-17T16:35:00.000-07:002007-07-17T16:35:00.000-07:00If you're agreeing with me about the math, don't b...If you're agreeing with me about the math, don't bother. There's nothing to agree about. It's absolutely impossible for the Braves to not get there next.<BR/><BR/>If you're agreeing with me about people being generally dumb, thanks. I wish it weren't true.John Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331641225948161347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418171424349595525.post-74203819530700985912007-07-17T15:01:00.000-07:002007-07-17T15:01:00.000-07:00Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with you, methinks.Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with you, methinks.L. H. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01418868114503035805noreply@blogger.com