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This has been one of my favorite names for a mathematical concept ever since I've heard of it. I can't help but imagine a conversation: "So, you've got this mo

by jerf 5y ago

This has been one of my favorite names for a mathematical concept ever since I've heard of it. I can't help but imagine a conversation: "So, you've got this model here then? Very good! I can count on it as being correct, right?" "Err... well... no sir." "Oh my. Well, that's disappointment. Is it at least probably correct?" "Umm... I do think that would be overstating the matter, sir." "You can't say that? Is it perhaps approximately correct? I could do with a model that's approximately correct, that's still jolly useful." "Ummm... strictly speaking sir, no, I can't claim that the model is approximately correct either." "My goodness, what is this thing actually good for then? What would you claim this model is?" "Well, sir, it's... um... probably, approximately correct." beat "Probably, approximately, correct." "Yes sir." "So you're telling me this model is approximately correct." "Quite probably, sir." "And it's probably correct." "Only approximately, sir." "I think perhaps you don't fully understand why I've been paying you those big Machine Learning dollars these past several months."

otoburb 5y ago
Humour is such an underappreciated method of imparting fragments of insight. Your script sounds like a refreshed tech-focused version of "Yes, Minister"[1]. I really miss that show. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister
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- dane-pgp 5y ago
  It feels like there is the premise of an incredible TV show in there somewhere. Unfortunately, at first glance, there doesn't appear to be much overlap between the cultures of Silicon Valley and Westminster, which we might call "two nations divided by a common language", or the difference between "move fast and break things" and "move slowly and break things". Having said that, if the Dominic Cummings plan of a "British ARPA" goes ahead, that could prove to be a comedy gold mine for some good satirists. Such a TV series would only need to take some inspiration from "The IT Crowd" and the "Q" character from James Bond, and it would become an instant hit.
fogof 5y ago
A fun anecdote from the time I took a Statistical Learning Theory course - For my course project I presented on a paper that described "Probably Maybe Approximately Correct" learning.
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by jerf 5y ago

otoburb 5y ago

Humour is such an underappreciated method of imparting fragments of insight. Your script sounds like a refreshed tech-focused version of "Yes, Minister"[1]. I really miss that show. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister

deleted 5y ago
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dane-pgp 5y ago
It feels like there is the premise of an incredible TV show in there somewhere. Unfortunately, at first glance, there doesn't appear to be much overlap between the cultures of Silicon Valley and Westminster, which we might call "two nations divided by a common language", or the difference between "move fast and break things" and "move slowly and break things". Having said that, if the Dominic Cummings plan of a "British ARPA" goes ahead, that could prove to be a comedy gold mine for some good satirists. Such a TV series would only need to take some inspiration from "The IT Crowd" and the "Q" character from James Bond, and it would become an instant hit.

fogof 5y ago

A fun anecdote from the time I took a Statistical Learning Theory course - For my course project I presented on a paper that described "Probably Maybe Approximately Correct" learning.

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