Scientists have calculated that the chances of something so patently absurd actually existing are millions to one. But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.
― Terry Pratchett, Mort
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday Extracts. For Sandra's son......
.......because I feel sorry for Professor Littlewood. (And I make NO apologies for quoting Terry Pratchett again because he knows how the world works - even if it is flat and carried on the back of four elephants that are riding on a huge turtle.)
*****************************
Scientists have calculated that the chances of something so patently absurd actually existing are millions to one. But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.
― Terry Pratchett, Mort
Scientists have calculated that the chances of something so patently absurd actually existing are millions to one. But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.
― Terry Pratchett, Mort
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I never was a mathemetician, but isn't this saying serendipity is even more daily occurence, less magical than Professor Littlewood?
Interesting that you think it's less magical. I kind of ignored the numbers and went just for the magic. (But I always ignore numbers if I have a choice)
This is actually quite correct, a one in a million chance is happening every day for certain people. Something that was recently responsible for putting an innocent woman in jail when the 'expert' witness who did not understand maths or probability theory, said three cot deaths MUST be murder. In a big enough population it is absolutely certain that someone will be that unlucky every now and then. After all you would not be sent to jail for winning the lottery more than once and that is millions of times more unlikely than three cot deaths in a row, but it has happened more than once.
Hi Anne .. I've never got into Terry Pratchett - one day perhaps I will - I seem to be behind various curves, and way ahead of others!
Things can happen .. how or why = that's life ..
Cheers Hilary
Hilary you must try reading one. You'll love them.
Post a Comment