5 ms·
Gerrymandering is an intentional act to achieve specific outcome. Simpson's Paradox can strike even the most committed truth-seeker trying to understand and in
by abtinf 7y ago
Gerrymandering is an intentional act to achieve specific outcome.
Simpson's Paradox can strike even the most committed truth-seeker trying to understand and interpret the available data.
Edit to add: Simpson's Paradox could conceivably thwart a gerrymanderer if they have an erroneous model relating demographics to voting patterns.
- marzell 7y agoThis is all true.. However what I meant is that the way gerrymandering can indicate a winner that is not the majority choice, is quasi analogous to how the Simpson's paradox exemplifies a weighed average that disagrees with the subtotals of the data.
- abtinf 7y agoOh, I see—you mean from the perspective of the voter/pundit/analyst/politician trying to understand what an election means and their mandate for action. Sort of like the debate over electoral vs popular vote. I hadn’t thought about it that way or seen the word gerrymandering used in that way, but it makes sense.