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RE: Statistical Control and Purpose
- Subject: RE: Statistical Control and Purpose
- From: "Nimon, Harry H SSI" <HN202460@MSXSSC.SHELL.COM>
- Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 07:41:58 -0600
Grant Blair ably expounded upon the theory of entropy in his
post. Might I add one other principle that needs be considered (which has
been addressed previously <last year in fact if I remember correctly>).
That principle is Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. What Heisenberg
discovered is that a wave packet confined to a very small region must be
made up of a lot of different wavelengths, and therefore a lot of different
momenta. In other words, if the uncertainty in the position of the particle
is small, the uncertainty in the momentum is large. And similarly, a
particle whose wave packet is made up of only a few wavelengths (and hence
only a few momenta) will be spread out over a large region. That is, if the
uncertainty in momentum is small, the uncertainty in position is large.
Given that wave propagation 'appears' to be a highly stable environment,
this is a profound conclusion.
While this applies to quantum physics and wave propagation,
the concept can and should be applied to statistical measurements and linked
to the concept of the relativity theory. The point being, that in the very
act of measurement, we change what we are observing and what has been
observed is in existence for only the period within which we are in fact
conducting the observation. This is not to state that, over time,
concurrent observations tending towards a set range and/or domain are
inconclusive, quite the opposite. But that to ignore the basics of natural
structure is inappropriate.
Grant stated that the act of measuring does not confer
stability. I agree and would add, in agreement with his further statements,
the existence of perceived stability does not confer control, especially
when dealing with systems containing humans. The variables are simply too
numerable to be conclusively considered. We need discuss in terms of
tendencies, appearances, and probabilities; without making final
conclusions. Then, reexamine continuously...
Harry I. Nimon,
Project Manager, SAP Transition Services Group
Shell Services International
* Voice Mail/Phone: 713-245-3965
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