GalacticCactus Forum

Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Annie Subjunctive on August 26, 2008, 01:48:23 PM

Title: Maybe I don't understand statistics
Post by: Annie Subjunctive on August 26, 2008, 01:48:23 PM

I just ran across this article (http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/08/bolt-is-freaky.html?npu=1&mbid=yhp) on how Usain Bolt messed up the curve for how fast humans are supposed to run.

Is this really something that statistics is involved in? I realize that they can predict trends, but how is one individual human being constrained at all by mathematical patterns? Someone could be born freakishly strong tomorrow who could run the 100 m in 6 seconds... couldn't they? Isn't that the nature of genetic mutations?

Title: Maybe I don't understand statistics
Post by: The Genuine on August 26, 2008, 02:23:59 PM

Pardon my asking, but what does this have to do with English & linguistics?

Title: Maybe I don't understand statistics
Post by: Porter on August 26, 2008, 02:29:13 PM

Weird -- I just came from reading that article.

It's pretty pointless, IMO, as is almost everything that includes (or implies) "If present trends continue....".

Present trends never continue.