RE: OT: Universe, was Re: VMs: Folio and Quire numbers

["Don Latham" <djl@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

That's certainly what Dr. Drake says :-)
Don

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Elmar Vogt
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2004 2:37 AM
To: vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: OT: Universe, was Re: VMs: Folio and Quire numbers




Rene Zandbergen wrote:

> ...
> My pet peeve with the equation that estimates
> the number of planets with intelligent life in
> the universe (the Drake equation).
> It is trying to do exactly that.
> What is the probability that life will come in
> existence on a planet with the suitable conditions?
>

I think Drake's equation should be taken with a grain of salt -- rather as a
general pointer to the numerous factors which are _at least_ necessary to
find life, than as a means of determining that there currently are 2312
civilizations in this galaxy.

> Or: someone has been playing around with an
> N-faced die (not necessarily 6). After a while
> he shows you that he has thrown a 1. What can
> you deduce about the probability of throwing a 1?
>

Exactly. Statistics begins with 3, as one of my old professors used to point
out.

> Cheers, Rene
>

Dito,

	Elmar

--
Elmar Vogt / Königswarterstr. 18 / 90762 Fürth / GERMANY
elvogt@xxxxxxxxxxx / Tel.: (++49/0)911 - 31 52 58
Agilmar von Sevelingen: VIS VISCERIS NON FERRE FERTUR (T.Doom)

"So ein bisschen Bildung ziert doch den ganzen Menschen." (H. Heine)


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