"I shall take my umbrella just in case it rains later" is perfectly good
English and means 'I shall take my umbrella because it might rain'.
However, mathematicians and hence mathematical statisticians often use
'just in case' to mean something like 'provided that' or 'if and only if'
or 'uniquely under the circumstances that' or 'only in the case that' which
means something very different. If this were the everyday English usage
then the anti-pluviary strategy implied would involve only taking an
umbrella if it were raining rather than because it might.
At least, that's my interpretation
So some questions to the list regarding 'just in case'
a) Do you agree with my understanding of the everyday English usage?
b) Do you agree with my understanding of the mathematical usage?
c) If so, does anybody know when this egregious error first crept into
mathematics?
Answers to me please and I shall summarise for the list
Stephen
PS Weather fine in Glasgow this morning but clouds are gathering and I am
beginning to wish I had taken my umbrella just in case...
Stephen Senn
Professor of Statistics
Department of Statistics
15 University Gardens
<http://www.gla.ac.uk>University of Glasgow
G12 8QQ
Tel: +44 (0)141 330 5141
Fax: +44(0)141 330 4814
email [log in to unmask]
Private webpage: http://www.senns.demon.co.uk/home.html
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