What huge assumption? That we know nothing of the distribution, hence we must assume each distribution is as likely? You seem to fail to grasp what it means to not make assumptions.
Re:The Big Alien Theory
by user-the-name on Wednesday June 02, 2021 @02:45PM
(#27372411)
It makes the huge assumption that these things follow a distribution where their claims are true.
As we do not know the distribution, you can not make that assumption.
Re:The Big Alien Theory
by fergussimpson on Wednesday June 02, 2021 @07:24PM
(#27375265)
Not so - the result holds for all feasible distributions.
Re:The Big Alien Theory
by user-the-name on Wednesday June 02, 2021 @07:34PM
(#27375334)
I just gave one where it doesn't hold.
Re:The Big Alien Theory
by fergussimpson on Wednesday June 02, 2021 @07:50PM
(#27375442)
Ah I see, apologies, I understand your concern.
If we define 'big' and 'small' as being above or below the average (mean) value, then you're quite right that it breaks down for many cases, like the one you gave. But if we define 'big' and 'small' relative to the middle (median) value of the distribution, then it becomes a robust result. Hope that helps!
Re:The Big Alien Theory
by user-the-name on Thursday June 03, 2021 @03:50AM
(#27378329)
But if you do that, it becomes a truism, and I do not think it actually gives you any useful information any longer.
Re:The Big Alien Theory
by fergussimpson on Thursday June 03, 2021 @06:07PM
(#27388035)
Just so we're clear, you no longer consider this to be a fallacy if by 'high' we use the median as a reference point?
"I am more likely to have been born in a high population country than a low population country"
And you don't think that's useful?
However, this statement does make a huge assumption about it, and thus, it is invalid.