It *could* just be coincidence

Interactive version of the Birthday Paradox:

http://betterexplained.com/articles/understanding-the-birthday-paradox/

A poor understanding of probability leads many people to put forward supernatural explanation for events that are far more common than they think.

This video shows how probability theory is sufficient to explain even seemingly remarkable coincidences.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• coincidence
• flawed thinking
• monkey
• typewriter
• probability
• shakespeare
• premonitions

[thewriterjustin]

good video but i have a problem with every thing that happens in the universe just being coincidence because given the vastness of the universe and given the laws of quantum physics people should just pop in to existence or people should pop out of existence with 100% probability. even though the odds are 1 in 10^100000000000000000000000000­0 it should still happen.

[QualiaSoup]

@thewriterjustin "good video"

Thanks.

"but i have a problem with every thing that happens in the universe just being coincidence"

Please note, this video isn't saying 'everything is coincidence'. It's saying that many things claimed to have a connection don't or may not have such an assumed connection.

[m4c13k86]

@thewriterjustin lol, there are estimated 10^80 atoms in the observable universe, this is why people do not have 100% probability to pop in to existence if the odds are 1 in 10^100000000000000000000000000­0. Besides, maybe they do, did you check everywhere? Andromeda galaxy, did you check there yet?

[Zotov13]

I bet you had fun coming up with possible dream sequences. :)

[darthrigel]

it's really hard to convince certain people that winning a lottery is fairly impossible. they are mislead by the fact that "the probability for an UNspecified person to win is 100%".

[Wulfyn99]

Great video. Wish I had dreams as interesting as yours ;)

[albelnox5454]

wow...monkeys love the letter S

[1yeahrightdotcom]

did anyone see polyestirine monsters in the dream bit

[ThePoopskoop]

accidents, deaths, and disasters are only "common" features of someones waking reality if they're in the movie final destination.

[pabobfin]

7 Billion now.... Fascinating piece.

[blaze1372003]

Science can't really rule either way until it figures out how exactly lumps of matter and controlled chemical reactions can start moving around on their own. The other problem is that we can't really calculate the probability of life arising when we've only got one example: Earth. Like you show at the beginning of the video, you can't figure odds if you don't have more than one.

[jurviz]

Someone might have said this already, but you are wrong about the monkeys.