Category: science

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One Rule to Rule Them All Bayesian Analysis in the Sciences

I'm giving a talk at the Fall Cross-Disciplinary Research, Teaching and Technology Symposium on Wednesday November 9th, 2:00PM – 5:00PM at Bryant University. The theme this semester is Bayesian …

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Why do we need double-blind studies?

I was recently reading some articles about dubious medical procedures, and the claims of miraculous healings. I was struck by a level of credulity with some of these claims, but …

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Chemical Reaction Dynamics Reproducing a Computational Paper

As an exercise, I like to reproduce computational papers, but with my own tools. This let's me know that I understand completely what is being written and in many cases …

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Simulating Stochastic Processes Gillespie Algorithm

In this post we are going to explore the simulation of stochastic (i.e. random) processes, and work our way to understanding how the Gillespie algorithm works. We'll be using …

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Gravitational Attraction

What would happen if two people out in space a few meters apart, abandoned by their spacecraft, decided to wait until gravity pulled them together? My initial thought was that …

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A Simple Physics Problem Gets Messy

A physics problem from a practice AP test came to my attention, when my daughter was in AP physics this past spring. I went over her solutions when she did …

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Physics Lab Ideas - Structure or No?

Over the years I have taught introductory physics labs and I have seen that most “canned” labs offer very little to the student in the form of learning. I summarize …

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Sea Slug Brains …delicious or no?

I learned a somewhat disturbing fact about sea squirts recently - once they find their permanent home they eat their own brain because they don’t need it anymore - their brain …

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I'm not a Denier, I'm a Skeptic And yes, there is a difference

In this tumultuous time, it is important to not demonize people who disagree with you. It is also important to recognize that people can have nuanced views on complex subjects …

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Art, Scientific Reductionism, and the New Neuroscience

Introduction

In an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Alva Noë challenges the neuroscience paradigm, summarized as

The momentous proposition is this: Every thought, feeling, experience, impression, value, argument …

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