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by AnimalMuppet 1611 days ago
What? No it doesn't.

My life expectancy is 85. Does that mean I'm going to die at 85? Probably not. It means that, of the people of my age, gender, and race, the current statistically-based projections are that half of them will die by 85, and half won't. How does that predict the outcome of any individual?

1 comments

We both know this argument wasn't referring to point estimates, but I am happy to engage in the pedantry of oneupsmanship. That's a big part of HN.
No, we don't both know that. If you didn't mean that, you worded your comment badly, because what I took from it is exactly what I responded to. (And, no thanks for assuming that I was responding to something I knew wasn't your point. That's against the site guidelines of charitable assumptions.)

Would you care to try stating your argument again?