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From: steve@lpi3230.UUCP (Steve Burbeck)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: Apparent Order in Random Numbers - and worse
Message-ID: <125@lpi3230.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Dec-83 14:58:21 EST
Article-I.D.: lpi3230.125
Posted: Mon Dec 19 14:58:21 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 22-Dec-83 01:16:57 EST
Expires: Sat, 31-Dec-83 03:00:00 EST
Organization: Linus-Pauling Institute, Palo Alto, Calif.
Lines: 16


Despite the skepticism of trc@hou5a.UUCP, the tendency of humans (and
other organisms as well) to find "order and causality" in randomness
is well known in experimental psychology.  It is thought to
underly what is commonly thought of a superstition.  A simple experiment
to see for yourself is to listen to a geiger counter.  The clicks will
seem to cluster and the usual perception is one of "I can feel that there
is a pattern there and I can ALMOST characterize it."  

What is (or ought to be) disturbing about the first article on this
subject, is that trained scientist are subject to the same problem
with respect to their treatment of data that is inherently somewhat
random.  We need to be reminded occasionally of those sorts of
weaknesses.

					lpi3230!steve