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posted by
LaminatorX
on Wednesday February 26 2014, @11:00PM
from the studies-show-poverty-causes-cancer dept.
from the studies-show-poverty-causes-cancer dept.
Angry Jesus writes:
"The Chicago Police Department is mis-applying epidemiological science (the study of entire populations) to target individuals in a real-life version of Minority Report. They have decided that it is a good idea to put people on a secret list based on a Big Data analysis of their social networks. But don't worry, it isn't racist or abusive because, Science!"
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Chicago Pre-Crime - Racism Cloaked in Science
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It takes a smart husband to have the last word and not use it.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Yog-Yogguth on Thursday February 27 2014, @04:15AM
Pretty much agree (and there are additional topics mixed in as well like propaganda and manipulation) but I'll only talk a little bit about maths :)
*gets up on chair*
Mathematics can never be "true" or "false" in the way we habitually like to pretend things are: they can only be self-congruent within their own axiomatic structure. If the mathematics are correct it can still be completely irrelevant to whatever use they are employed for. Or relevant, but the maths doesn't (shouldn't) get to decide that either way.
Everything connecting mathematics to our reality is application. Always. No matter how basic or advanced.
We humans excel at doing "application of anything" wrong.
This also applies to numbers insofar as they're given with the "alibi" of mathematics.
Same thing about science, all of it.
That's how difficult it is and yet it won't stop anyone from pretending it's so easy as to be obvious aka "a fact".
If the correct maths employed in a logically sound and rational way with full context and comprehension proved something bothersome (like anything "racist" or whatever) to be 'in fact' as close to "true" as reasonable it wouldn't matter squat to most people unless they already wanted to agree or found it useful for whatever purpose they choose.
*climbs down off chair*
Others have to decide what the point of this was.
Bite harder Ouroboros, bite! tails.boum.org/ linux USB CD secure desktop IRC *crypt tor (not endorsements (XKeyScore))