This puts a very large probability on the fact that my action will not have an effect.
However, the complementary probability is the probability of a correspondingly large effect. The smallness of the probability and the largeness of the effect exactly cancel, giving an expected effect of 1 burger bought from the distributor for every burger bought by you.
The fact that the effect is nigh invisible due to the high level of stochastic noise does not mean it is not there.
To eat meat without it having been killed for your benefit, you should raid supermarket waste bins for the time-expired stuff they throw out.
When I first thought about this, I was fairly confident of my belief; after reading your first comment, I rethought my position but still felt reasonably confident; yet after reading this comment, you’ve completely changed my position on the issue. I had completely neglected to take into account the largeness of the effect.
You’re absolutely correct, and I retract my previous statements to the contrary. Thank you for pointing out my error. (c:
However, the complementary probability is the probability of a correspondingly large effect. The smallness of the probability and the largeness of the effect exactly cancel, giving an expected effect of 1 burger bought from the distributor for every burger bought by you.
The fact that the effect is nigh invisible due to the high level of stochastic noise does not mean it is not there.
To eat meat without it having been killed for your benefit, you should raid supermarket waste bins for the time-expired stuff they throw out.
When I first thought about this, I was fairly confident of my belief; after reading your first comment, I rethought my position but still felt reasonably confident; yet after reading this comment, you’ve completely changed my position on the issue. I had completely neglected to take into account the largeness of the effect.
You’re absolutely correct, and I retract my previous statements to the contrary. Thank you for pointing out my error. (c: