Re: virus: KMO quotes Plato

David Leeper (dleeper@gte.net)
Tue, 29 Oct 1996 18:28:40 -0500


Jason,

> Every time I measure the brightness of a star, I get a different
> answer and I can never say that one of those measurements was the
> "correct" one. However, I can calculate the standard deviation of
> the measurements from the mean and use this as an uncertainty. In
> other words, I can calculate the likelyhood that my mean
> measurement is within a certain range of the true value. So
> (1/TV) for a statement can be compared to the uncertainty of a
> measurement.

Or each measurement could be true in relation to things such as
time of day or atmosphere conditions. Then the mean becomes a
convient falsehood.

This is not much help in your practical work I'm sure, but it
shouldn't interfere with it, and perhaps has some philosophical
value.

Comments?

-- 
David Leeper         dleeper@gte.net
Homo Deus            http://home1.gte.net/dleeper/index.htm
1 + 1 != 2           http://home1.gte.net/dleeper/CMath.html