[LINK] more wikipedia strangeness

[Deus Ex Machina]

Sam Stainsby [sam at stainsby.id.au] wrote:
> Deus Ex Machina wrote:
> 
> >and?
> >
> >ability has a normal ditribution. are you saying that the high end of a
> >perticular distribution is as authoritative as anyone near the middle?
> >
> >Vic
> > 
> >
> No, ability doesn't has a normal distribution. A normal distribution is 
> a mathematical model that sometimes approximates actual measurements. 
> But then again someone has to decide how and what to measure. Who makes 
> that choice and what do the measurements reflect? Does artistic ability 
> approximate a normal distribution? That depends on what the measurer 
> thinks is art and what they like. Does our ability to comfort a loved 
> one approximate a normal distribution? That depends on the loved one and 
> what the measurer believes is a successful outcome. Does something more 
> concrete like the ability to program a computer have a normal 
> distribution? That again depends on how you measure and assess the 
> results. Who decides the criteria .. the authoritative people I'm sure 
> you would say ... but then don't the criteria decide who the 
> authoritative people are in your model? This flaw in your narrow 
> mathematical approximation the world suggests once again that your fail 
> to realise or tolerate that we live in a society of people with 
> different views and beliefs to your own.

> In summary, you really need to get out more, if your view of life is 
> based on mathematical curves! :-)

so now you are saying the whole of scientific progress is bunk. 

lets not bother with any models or maps because they are not the
territory. sure why not, lets wind back a couple of thousand years 
of progress and we can all just go tripping in forest raves for ever.

silly me, how obvious, people who eschew science clearly have a more
enlightened viewpoint. who needs maps and models when you know
everyting already?

Vic