The normal person thinks that because the last 20 people survived, the next patient is very likely to die.
The mathematician considers that the probability of success for each surgery is independent, so in the mathematician’s eyes the next patient has a 50% chance of survival.
The scientist thinks that the statistic is probably gathered across a large number of different hospitals. They see that this particular surgeon has an unusually high success rate, so they conclude that their own surgery has a >50% chance of success.
The scientist is making a possibly incorrect assumption based on incomplete data. All we know is that the last 20 were successful.
It’s the same as seeing someone flip tails 20 times in a row. Do you think it’s just a coincidence and the chance of heads or tails is still 50/50 or do think there’s something special about the person that makes them flip tails more often?
Or do think there’s something special about the person that makes them flip tails more often?
Yes, that’s the conclusion that the scientist has come to. The chance of getting 20 in a row is so extraordinarily unlikely that it’s reasonable to conclude that the chance is not 50/50 for that particular surgeon.
That’s sort of why I asked. I thought I was missing something but no, the meme is apparently assuming academic professionals are dummies. Not to say that we should expect nuance and robust portrayals from a meme.
The normal person thinks that because the last 20 people survived, the next patient is very likely to die.
The mathematician considers that the probability of success for each surgery is independent, so in the mathematician’s eyes the next patient has a 50% chance of survival.
The scientist thinks that the statistic is probably gathered across a large number of different hospitals. They see that this particular surgeon has an unusually high success rate, so they conclude that their own surgery has a >50% chance of success.
The scientist is making a possibly incorrect assumption based on incomplete data. All we know is that the last 20 were successful.
It’s the same as seeing someone flip tails 20 times in a row. Do you think it’s just a coincidence and the chance of heads or tails is still 50/50 or do think there’s something special about the person that makes them flip tails more often?
Yes, that’s the conclusion that the scientist has come to. The chance of getting 20 in a row is so extraordinarily unlikely that it’s reasonable to conclude that the chance is not 50/50 for that particular surgeon.
Thanks. I suspect a mathematician would consider the latter point too though.
Anyone with a good high school education should understand this.
That’s sort of why I asked. I thought I was missing something but no, the meme is apparently assuming academic professionals are dummies. Not to say that we should expect nuance and robust portrayals from a meme.
Normal people too.
The popularity of casinos and lotteries say otherwise.
Someone who goes to casinos would come to the same conclusion, thinking that the surgeon is ‘running hot’.
And me mate paul
My aunt Nancy would surely be in the 50% who die
Would be or do you want her to be? Sound like aunt Nancy isn’t very nice.