24 JAN 2014 by ideonexus

 Florence Nightingale Worshiped Quantification

[Of her] Her statistics were more than a study, they were indeed her religion. For her Quetelet was the hero as scientist, and the presentation copy of his Physique sociale is annotated by her on every page. Florence Nightingale believed—and in all the actions of her life acted upon that belief—that the administrator could only be successful if he were guided by statistical knowledge. The legislator—to say nothing of the politiciantoo often failed for want of this knowledge. Nay, she we...
Folksonomies: virtue quantification
Folksonomies: virtue quantification
  1  notes

Described here as being virtuously dedicated to statistics and measurement in medicine.

08 NOV 2013 by ideonexus

 The Misuse of "Social Evolution"

No word is more on people's lips than "Evolution"; and none is more frequently misused, and misunderstood. Social Evolution is often talked of as if it were a cosmic process forced on men wholly from the outside, regardless of their yea and nay; or again as if it were a beneficent dispensation "from on high" that somehow, and regardless of men's acts, will float them to the haven of social bliss. The typical expression of this last extraordinary misconception is: "Things will right themse...
  1  notes

Evolution is a natural force, but we mistake that for fatalism. Humans have control over their destiny.

20 JUN 2012 by ideonexus

 Statistics as Religion

Her [Nightingale's] statistics were more than a study, they were indeed her religion. For her, Quetelet was the hero as scientist, and the presentation copy of his Physique Sociale is annotated by her on every page. Florence Nightingale believed—and in all the actions of her life acted upon that belief—that the administrator could only be successful if he were guided by statistical knowledge. The legislator—to say nothing of the politician—too often failed for want of this knowledge. ...
Folksonomies: religion statistics
Folksonomies: religion statistics
  1  notes

Florence Nightingale saw nature as god's plan and statistics the means to understand it.

25 JUL 2011 by ideonexus

 Focus on Common Things

And first, for those things which seem common. Let men bear in mind that hitherto they have been accustomed to do no more than refer and adapt the causes of things which rarely happen to such as happen frequently, while of those which happen frequently they never ask the cause, but take them as they are for granted. And therefore they do not investigate the causes of weight, of the rotation of heavenly bodies, of heat, cold, light, hardness, softness, rarity, density, liquidity, solidity, ani...
  1  notes

We overlook the common in scientific inquiry, but it is in the common occurrences that the laws of nature are to be found.