Random II

 

With God On Our side

Through many dark hour I been thinking' about this
That Jesus Christ was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you, you'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot had God on his side

Insurance companies routinely deny coverage to “Acts of God”. Are those companies theists?

As if! Insurance companies are using “Acts of God” as a euphemism for random events. A random event requires knowledge about the mean (location)  of the distribution including the event, as well as the variance (range) that incudes the event.

Weather is a random event. You need to know both the location AND the variance. And even then you can only describe the probability of the event occurring.  Climate is NOT a random event. It is subject only to the variance. It describes the range over which all of the random events will occur. This incudes every probability.

A game, an election, a battle, etc. is a random event. It makes no difference whether God is on your side. In fact, all players in the game, etc. probably believe God is on their side. Only if you want to set odds do you need both the location and the variance. If you only want to determine if the cumulative of random events are suitable only the variance is necessary. If you want to beat the house you need to know the location and the variance.  If you want to be the house you only need to know the variance.

Insurance companies are denying coverage, based on the climate change (the variance), not because of the average (the location) of a particular event. If hundred-year floods are happening more frequently than every hundred years, it is probably an indication that the variance, climate has changed to make this event more frequent. “Acts of God” are random.  Atheists calling random events Acts of God is an Act of Greed.