Comments on: 2%: The US Civil War, mathematics, and why we have already lost in Iraq http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/ science and the public square -- by thomas levenson Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:32:30 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Happy Memorial Day — 21st Century Abe http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-2290 Happy Memorial Day — 21st Century Abe Mon, 25 May 2009 17:34:24 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-2290 [...] Republic of Suffering for more on the way these deaths impacted society and, unrelatedly, to this interesting blog post that relates the Civil War death toll to the current situation in [...] [...] Republic of Suffering for more on the way these deaths impacted society and, unrelatedly, to this interesting blog post that relates the Civil War death toll to the current situation in [...]

]]> By: Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy :: ASSPOTY 2008 Winners for Super Post http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-1971 Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy :: ASSPOTY 2008 Winners for Super Post Sun, 25 Jan 2009 04:41:53 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-1971 [...] Inverse Square - 2%: The US Civil War, mathematics, and why we have already lost in Iraq http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already... [...] [...] Inverse Square – 2%: The US Civil War, mathematics, and why we have already lost in Iraq http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already... [...]

]]> By: Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy :: A.S.S.P.O.T.Y Award Voting http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-1949 Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy :: A.S.S.P.O.T.Y Award Voting Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:11:42 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-1949 [...] Inverse Square - 2%: The US Civil War, mathematics, and why we have already lost in Iraq http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already... [...] [...] Inverse Square – 2%: The US Civil War, mathematics, and why we have already lost in Iraq http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already... [...]

]]> By: How Numbers Help Make Sense of Things: The Palin Pick edition « The Inverse Square Blog http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-1131 How Numbers Help Make Sense of Things: The Palin Pick edition « The Inverse Square Blog Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:02:37 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-1131 [...] best example (IMHO) that I’ve come up with came in this post.  But John McCain’s to-me bizarre selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate provides [...] [...] best example (IMHO) that I’ve come up with came in this post.  But John McCain’s to-me bizarre selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate provides [...]

]]> By: What Does the Public Really Need To Know?: Science/Math edition. « The Inverse Square Blog http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-896 What Does the Public Really Need To Know?: Science/Math edition. « The Inverse Square Blog Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:05:04 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-896 [...] of the value of remembering to do something as basic as converting a cardinal number into a percentage, to make it possible to compare different data [...] [...] of the value of remembering to do something as basic as converting a cardinal number into a percentage, to make it possible to compare different data [...]

]]> By: Program Notes: Iraq disaster/NY Times does good edition… « The Inverse Square Blog http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-848 Program Notes: Iraq disaster/NY Times does good edition… « The Inverse Square Blog Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:58:16 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-848 [...] that this is an example of the kinds of issues that lie behind the broad point I tried to make in this post about why we have alreadly lost whatever was worth “winning” in [...] [...] that this is an example of the kinds of issues that lie behind the broad point I tried to make in this post about why we have alreadly lost whatever was worth “winning” in [...]

]]> By: I don’t know nuthin’ ’bout economics, but…: NPR/Henri Poincaré/Mortgage follies edition « The Inverse Square Blog http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-281 I don’t know nuthin’ ’bout economics, but…: NPR/Henri Poincaré/Mortgage follies edition « The Inverse Square Blog Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:35:54 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-281 [...] economics, but…: NPR/Henri Poincaré/Mortgage follies edition Innumeracy is a problem I have and will come back to a lot here. But as I listen to more and more popular presentations of [...] [...] economics, but…: NPR/Henri Poincaré/Mortgage follies edition Innumeracy is a problem I have and will come back to a lot here. But as I listen to more and more popular presentations of [...]

]]> By: I don’t think ‘civil’ means what he thinks it means: Andrew Sullivan is deluded again editon « The Inverse Square Blog http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-186 I don’t think ‘civil’ means what he thinks it means: Andrew Sullivan is deluded again editon « The Inverse Square Blog Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:24:46 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-186 [...] withdrawal do not ignore either the human calamities, either those to come, or those that have already occurred. He knows that those of us who were right about the war when he was wrong cared deeply about the [...] [...] withdrawal do not ignore either the human calamities, either those to come, or those that have already occurred. He knows that those of us who were right about the war when he was wrong cared deeply about the [...]

]]> By: Tom http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-68 Tom Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:44:39 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-68 Just stepping in to note that I fully agree with David on the significance of Versailles in the formation of lasting enmity after World War I, (and his "A Shattered Peace" has been on my to-read list since it came out for just that reason). I'd argue that the revanchist position of the French at the Conference derived directly from the scale of destruction they had endured - which is the point of the post above. But there is no doubt, as David's book documents very well, that a great deal of the woe we have endured over the last 90 years can trace at least some of its roots back to that miserable exercise outside Paris in 1919. John -- exactly so. LL and Yoram -- you are both more than welcome. Thanks for stopping by. Just stepping in to note that I fully agree with David on the significance of Versailles in the formation of lasting enmity after World War I, (and his “A Shattered Peace” has been on my to-read list since it came out for just that reason). I’d argue that the revanchist position of the French at the Conference derived directly from the scale of destruction they had endured – which is the point of the post above. But there is no doubt, as David’s book documents very well, that a great deal of the woe we have endured over the last 90 years can trace at least some of its roots back to that miserable exercise outside Paris in 1919.

John — exactly so.

LL and Yoram — you are both more than welcome. Thanks for stopping by.

]]> By: john in california http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-67 john in california Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:10:58 +0000 http://inversesquare.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/2-the-us-civil-war-mathematics-and-why-we-have-already-lost-in-iraq/#comment-67 The reason this is so important is that if you were to randomly distribute those 2% deaths ( an admittedly crude approximation) and assume that in a extended family culture every person has at least 10 people to whom they feel very close, then you have something like 80 % of the population with a major grief and grievance. Then put these people in close proximity to those they consider the perpetrators and you create a society of permanent vendetta. The reason this is so important is that if you were to randomly distribute those 2% deaths ( an admittedly crude approximation) and assume that in a extended family culture every person has at least 10 people to whom they feel very close, then you have something like 80 % of the population with a major grief and grievance. Then put these people in close proximity to those they consider the perpetrators and you create a society of permanent vendetta.

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