I Knew It Was Just A Matter Of Time

[Donga]

[Dr. Atkins should've worn a walking helmet]
: That statement is an excellent example of the sort of
: the inability to distinguish *possibility* from *prob-
: ability.*

You're such an easy target.

That's quite an interesting thing to hear from someone
I've made to look foolish any number of times since he
first washed up here.

Most of the time it is you that looks foolish.

Just because you hear a word repeated several times
does not mean that you understand its meaning.  Do you
remember when I had to explain to you that the word
"most" didn't mean a vast majority?  

No.  Because you never did.  Why not?  Because it does.

Setting the way back machine to 2004, we find that I did explain to

Aug 31 2004, 12:59 pm
<Generalizations and the word "most">

Most people in the USA are women. So, Americans are a bunch of
panty wearing women?

"Most" people in the USA are not women. "Most" implies an over-
whelming majority, not merely a slight plurality.

Definition of "most" is "greatest in quantity".

Well, this time you will lose again with the same
argument.  There is no difference between "possibility"
and "probability" except the later assigns a quantitative
value.  To say there is a probability that one will fall
does not mean that it is more likely than not.  How do you,
the most pitiful person who posts here, distinguish "possibility" from "probability"?

The fact that something *could* happen doesn't mean it's
likely to happen.  For example, it's within the realm
of possibilty that I could get bonked on the head by a
meteorite while walking down the street.  But it's not
bloody likely.  

Probability does not mean that an event is likely. One could properly
say that there is a ten percent probability of rain tomorrow.

So, you were wrong about never being explained that "most" doesn't
have to be a vast majority. And you were wrong trying to argue that
probability means that an event is likely to occur.

Maybe if you would duck, you wouldn't be such an easy target. Thanks
for playing.

-Donga

[Donga]

[Dr. Atkins should've worn a walking helmet]
: That statement is an excellent example of the sort of
: the inability to distinguish *possibility* from *prob-
: ability.*

Just because you hear a word repeated several times
does not mean that you understand its meaning.  Do you
remember when I had to explain to you that the word
"most" didn't mean a vast majority?  

No.  Because you never did.  

You are wrong! I did on Aug 31 2004, 12:59 pm.
See http://tinyurl.com/mmlkpl

Why not?  Because it does.

No, it doesn't. Take this example from the web:
"Most Twitter users never tweet, don't follow anyone"
"According to HubSpot's analysis of Twitter's 4.5 million accounts,
54.9 percent of users have never tweeted and 52.7 have no followers
whatsoever."
"What's more perplexing, however, is that 55.5 percent of Twitter
users don't follow anyone else."
http://tinyurl.com/m3gl3y

You see, as long as it is over 50 percent, one can use the word
"most".

Well, this time you will lose again with the same
argument.  There is no difference between "possibility"
and "probability" except the later assigns a quantitative
value.  To say there is a probability that one will fall
does not mean that it is more likely than not.  How do you,
the most pitiful person who posts here,
distinguish "possibility" from "probability"?

The fact that something *could* happen doesn't mean it's
likely to happen.  For example, it's within the realm
of possibilty that I could get bonked on the head by a
meteorite while walking down the street.  But it's not
bloody likely.  

You didn't answer my question. Yet, you stated enough to prove that
you are wrong! The word "probability" doesn't mean "likely". There
may be a 0.05% probability of rain tomorrow. So, as with the word
"most", you are ignorant of the meaning of "probability". And not
only are you ignorant, you also are foolish for arguing about it
without looking up the meaning of the word.


-Donga

"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is at all
comprehensible."
--Albert Einstein