I agree with that. But please honestly look at the math I presented. It disproves the Bell Curve. - Edit 3
Before modification by Shannow at 02/11/2012 05:36:41 PM
How many different ways can someone tell you that the Mean is not by definition 50% of the Maximum? All the Mean equals is the level where the most people fall. Each SD away from the Mean makes someone more rare. There is no reason to believe that 50 MUST be the Mean.
It seemed likely for a while that 50 was the Mean because of the minimum and maximum level RJ imposed on the Bell Curve, but it's not Mathematically necessary. For instance, the Mean height for a man is roughly 70" with a SD of 3". Thus a man 3 SDs above the Mean would be 79" but would represent less than 1% of the population. likewise a man 3 SDs below the Mean would be 61" tall and represent less than 1% of the population. In neither case is the mean 50%. the only thing that MUST be true here is that there are as many SDs BELOW the Mean as ABOVE the Mean. The actual number doesn't matter as long there are an equal number of SD on each side of it. A Power scale and a % of total power are two different things.
It seemed likely for a while that 50 was the Mean because of the minimum and maximum level RJ imposed on the Bell Curve, but it's not Mathematically necessary. For instance, the Mean height for a man is roughly 70" with a SD of 3". Thus a man 3 SDs above the Mean would be 79" but would represent less than 1% of the population. likewise a man 3 SDs below the Mean would be 61" tall and represent less than 1% of the population. In neither case is the mean 50%. the only thing that MUST be true here is that there are as many SDs BELOW the Mean as ABOVE the Mean. The actual number doesn't matter as long there are an equal number of SD on each side of it. A Power scale and a % of total power are two different things.
The human height example is a flawed comparison, because the SD is so small that you never get to a point where someone is twice the average height.
But if you are dealing with a population that reaches twice the average at say 6 SD, then you have to have room for the same number of SD's on the bottom side, if the Curve is to remain symmetrical. For example, let's say that human height - averaging at 6 feet, allowed for a person 6 SD above the Mean to be 13 feet tall. How then would that curve be able to remain symmetrical while still depicting people at 6SD on the lower side?
Be that as it may. The math is the real clincher of the argument.
It destroys the idea of a symmetrical Bell Curve, based on the multiples that the likes of Moiraine and Egwene are stronger than Daigian.