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Metrics Mania and the Countless Counting Problem

Posted by timothy on from the units-of-hate-bottles-of-love dept.

mobkarma writes "Einstein once said, 'Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.' A New York Times article suggests that unless we know how things are counted, we don't know if it's wise to count on the numbers. The problem isn't with statistical tests themselves, but with what we do before and after we run them. If a person starts drinking day in and day out after a cancer diagnosis and dies from acute cirrhosis, did he kill himself? The answers to such questions significantly affect the count."

8 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Technically by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Cancer itself could be considered a form of killing yourself.

    1. Re:Technically by Dishevel · · Score: 2, Funny

      I do not listen to anything that has come out of Berkley in the last 20 years.

      --
      Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
  2. I thought the joke went the other way? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Q: What did the clinically depressed alcoholic man with acute cirrhosis get for Christmas?
    A: Cancer

  3. Re:How about this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I'm only 47% sure that your post is a joke...

  4. Re:cirrhosis by Rakshasa+Taisab · · Score: 4, Funny

    I believe you just counted something that didn't need to be counted.

    --
    - These characters were randomly selected.
  5. Re:How about this by natehoy · · Score: 3, Funny

    had about as much bearing on accident rates as the price of butter in Bangladesh does.

    Thanks, now I have to check the price of butter in Bangladesh to see whether it's safe to drive home, you insensitive clod!

    --
    "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
  6. Figures by asukasoryu · · Score: 2, Funny

    I finally learn how to count and now they tell me it's useless. What's next, I learn how to type and I find out nobody is reading what I write?

    --
    There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
    1. Re:Figures by zmollusc · · Score: 2, Funny

      tl;dr

      --
      They whose government reduces their essential liberties for temporary security, receive neither liberty nor security.