Author Question: When you experience a coincidence, which of the following interpretations is appropriate? a. If an ... (Read 65 times)

saraeharris · **on:** Jul 24, 2018

When you experience a coincidence, which of the following interpretations is appropriate?
a. If an event has a million to one chance, it is expected to happen to 290 people in the U.S. in a given day, on average (because the U.S. population is 290 million).
b. It is not unlikely that something surprising will happen to someone, somewhere, someday.
c. There is a big difference between the probability of a rare event happening to someone somewhere, and the probability of a rare event happening to a specifically named individual.
d. All of the above.

Question 2

Explain how a misinterpretation of a coincidence could impact a town that is experiencing an unusually high rate of cancer, compared to the rest of the country.

Jevvish · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 24, 2018

Answer to Question 1

D

Answer to Question 2

PEOPLE MAY AUTOMATICALLY THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WATER, SOIL, AIR, OR A VARIETY OF THINGS, AND START TO PANIC, SUE COMPANIES, GET MEDIA ATTENTION, OR PRESSURE THE GOVERNMENT TO GET INVOLVED, ALL WITHOUT PROPER SUBSTANTIATION OF AN ACTUAL PROBLEM. ANY RARE EVENT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME.

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