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I don't think it plays much role in the plot darius_sedai Send a noteboard - 30/10/2012 03:17:55 PM
1000 women of a potential field of perhaps millions is a tiny sample, especially when regionally skewed. All that added to the facts the author laid out make it obvious to me that these Novices are non-representative. Personally I think most of the purpose they served was to show that there are a huge number of potential Channelers in the world and that women like Sharina could be hidden almost anywhere


1000 is not a tiny sample, whether there were a million or a billon channeling women. That's just a fact.

However, it is certainly possible that Norther Alataran women are generally weak in the power. Personally, though, I believe Jordan just came up with some percentages to sound scientific, and didn't take the concequences of that in his writing. It's a shame we can't ask him what his thinking was.

Also, why do you bother discussing the bell curve if you feel it is perfectly reasonable for the author to disregard it if he wants to make the already obvious point that strong channelers could crop up anywhere?


Knowing it exists and having it effect the books are two different things. The author has creative license to introduce any strength Channelers he likes because the VAST majority of the Bell Curve will remain unseen and have no effect on the story. It only matters for these discussions.
Domani Drag Queen in the White Tower ... Aran'gar watch out!
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The Bell Curve revisited - 29/10/2012 09:44:09 AM 1663 Views
Re: The Bell Curve revisited - 29/10/2012 10:21:27 AM 1037 Views
That's incorrect... - 29/10/2012 10:26:49 AM 1620 Views
Re: That's incorrect... - 29/10/2012 10:36:32 AM 1002 Views
RJ the physicist didn't know math, so that Shannow could be right... - 29/10/2012 02:11:19 PM 946 Views
Response to a few of your poorly researched points... - 29/10/2012 02:31:17 PM 893 Views
Re: RJ the physicist didn't know math, so that Shannow could be right... - 29/10/2012 02:37:33 PM 886 Views
Exactly... - 29/10/2012 02:39:30 PM 877 Views
there are dozens of reasons for this - 29/10/2012 08:18:18 PM 902 Views
Excellent point. - 29/10/2012 08:24:37 PM 932 Views
Re: there are dozens of reasons for this - 29/10/2012 09:07:35 PM 854 Views
Again I don't argue that genetics play no role - 30/10/2012 01:57:24 AM 830 Views
Re: Again I don't argue that genetics play no role - 30/10/2012 07:07:17 AM 837 Views
I don't think it plays much role in the plot - 30/10/2012 03:17:55 PM 992 Views
Once again just so,we are clear on my stance with Genetics and Strength - 30/10/2012 03:27:11 PM 851 Views
That the 1000 Novices aren't a random sample of the population? - 29/10/2012 08:23:47 PM 794 Views
And why would it be biased towards those with lower strength? - 29/10/2012 09:11:25 PM 802 Views
Absolutely no reason... - 30/10/2012 01:35:35 AM 897 Views
Re: Absolutely no reason... - 30/10/2012 06:43:54 AM 802 Views
Only if it was a random sampling. Which this is not. - 30/10/2012 01:58:34 PM 895 Views
That's exactly the point. I want you to explain why it wasn't random. - 30/10/2012 02:14:59 PM 827 Views
It wasn't random because it was a self-selected sample! - 30/10/2012 02:43:03 PM 824 Views
Re: It wasn't random because it was a self-selected sample! - 30/10/2012 02:47:30 PM 821 Views
Go read a stats text will you? - 30/10/2012 02:54:16 PM 812 Views
Done - 31/10/2012 09:34:11 AM 1586 Views
You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 10/11/2012 10:14:19 PM 1099 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 11:37:16 AM 927 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 07:14:48 PM 777 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 08:33:59 PM 1597 Views
Re: You seem to have perfected whining to a Talent... - 11/11/2012 08:43:19 PM 1159 Views
Still nothing? - 10/11/2012 03:33:15 PM 945 Views
Still doesn't explain the difference - 30/10/2012 07:01:53 PM 765 Views
Re: Still doesn't explain the difference - 10/11/2012 10:21:00 PM 847 Views
Yes that totally makes sense - 30/10/2012 08:07:16 AM 937 Views
Thank you! *NM* - 30/10/2012 10:19:15 AM 434 Views
That's not what happened... - 30/10/2012 02:01:52 PM 877 Views
Re: That's not what happened... - 30/10/2012 02:15:57 PM 815 Views
Who said it would? - 30/10/2012 02:44:17 PM 836 Views
let's not mix up "random" and "representative" - 30/10/2012 05:28:09 PM 886 Views
Doesn't mean RJ applied it to his series - 30/10/2012 08:23:29 AM 905 Views
But of course he did.. - 30/10/2012 02:13:07 PM 943 Views
I hate to get into these things - 29/10/2012 05:45:50 PM 978 Views
I would love for you to be right, because it would solve all our problems, but 0 is the challenge... - 29/10/2012 07:56:34 PM 963 Views
In the truest sense, you are probably right that it is skewed - 29/10/2012 08:20:52 PM 961 Views
Overwhelm Lanfear, not match her. *NM* - 29/10/2012 08:26:09 PM 502 Views
Truth is, Moiraine was being overly optimistic... - 29/10/2012 08:39:17 PM 877 Views
You're pathetic... - 30/10/2012 01:20:01 AM 806 Views
The quote isn't specific - 30/10/2012 08:32:36 AM 920 Views
Its highly specific... - 30/10/2012 02:15:38 PM 756 Views
Yet neither of them are at full potential and at least equal a Forsaken - 30/10/2012 03:45:24 PM 1421 Views
Honestly! - 30/10/2012 02:07:37 AM 861 Views
Re: In the truest sense, you are probably right that it is skewed - 29/10/2012 09:10:27 PM 877 Views
Lots of people mean perfectly normal distribution when they say it - 30/10/2012 05:25:35 PM 819 Views
Couldn't the Towers method of obtaining Aes Sedai be to blame? - 30/10/2012 12:04:01 AM 1000 Views
Re: Couldn't the Towers method of obtaining Aes Sedai be to blame? - 30/10/2012 09:33:44 AM 935 Views
Are you sure about that? - 30/10/2012 12:03:43 PM 924 Views
Re: Are you sure about that? - 30/10/2012 12:19:34 PM 843 Views
That doesn't seem a coherent narrative to me - 30/10/2012 04:26:25 PM 1179 Views
Sharina did not have the Spark, nor did Nicola - 30/10/2012 05:16:40 PM 948 Views
Re: Sharina did not have the Spark, nor did Nicola - 30/10/2012 05:54:41 PM 817 Views
We do not know if Cadsuane or any of the Forsaken are Sparkers - 30/10/2012 10:33:55 PM 955 Views
you're confusing 2 things - 30/10/2012 04:27:32 AM 1095 Views
+1 *NM* - 30/10/2012 09:17:07 AM 967 Views
Re: you're confusing 2 things - 30/10/2012 09:21:39 AM 957 Views
Not true... - 30/10/2012 11:49:57 AM 930 Views
One thing - 30/10/2012 05:23:17 PM 910 Views
That's the problem. The BC RJ has "built" has a minimum and a maximum value - 30/10/2012 05:48:55 PM 919 Views

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