LINK: Bayesian statistics is so subversive, it's banned in China!

post by lukeprog · 2011-01-11T00:50:07.009Z · LW · GW · Legacy · 9 comments

Funny link.

9 comments

Comments sorted by top scores.

comment by ewang · 2011-01-11T02:05:03.900Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

One datum is not enough to justify your conclusion. I think that some competing state-owned company is publishing a similar book, and they're just trying to eliminate the competition.

comment by PhilGoetz · 2011-01-11T03:08:16.005Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Why the downvotes?

Replies from: nhamann, timtyler
↑ comment by nhamann · 2011-01-11T03:31:48.010Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I didn't downvote, but it may be because the title isn't actually true. A commenter on Hacker News posted this:

Hi Guys, I am from China, and of course the Bayesian is taught in China. Only in the culture revolution time, this crazy thing may happen; but it's long time ago when Mao was alive. Now China is a modern society; of course, the Bayesian theory is taught in schools; otherwise how could they send the spaceship to the outer space and have the fastest super computer in the world so far.

Replies from: Jack
↑ comment by Jack · 2011-01-11T04:33:38.638Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The title is humorously hyperbolic (which doesn't mean it is outright sarcastic).

I feel like Less Wrong posters have trouble picking up on this type of joke in particular. I wonder why this is.

Thats a great quote though.

Replies from: ArisKatsaris
↑ comment by ArisKatsaris · 2011-01-11T14:06:08.774Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I wasn't among the people downvoting this, but I wonder if I should, just for the fear it would encourage others to post "humorous" and misleading titles.

This forum isn't a british tabloid. We must care about truth, which means we must care not to intentionally mislead others. A false claim that you must follow a link before you can determine it's false, should be strongly discouraged.

↑ comment by timtyler · 2011-01-15T15:47:41.148Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

For one thing, this post lacks both an abstract and content.

comment by Kevin · 2011-01-11T01:02:26.807Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Also see discussion on Hacker News: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2088734

Replies from: Larks
↑ comment by Larks · 2011-01-11T01:31:19.851Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

"It seems like a joke at first, but once you take into account China's previous actions it's actually quite likely."

Replies from: Dr_Manhattan
↑ comment by Dr_Manhattan · 2011-01-11T04:47:48.467Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

The joke is so clever you get an upvote for just reposting it.