99.9

[Cogwulf]

Did you know that it is a scientific fact that 99.9% of statements including the term "99.9%" have absolutely no factual basis?

 

[Solitaire U.]

Yeah, because numbers don't exist.

 

[Anthile]

Well yeah, it's just a phrase saying "I'm extremely certain that this is true but there is the theoretical chance that it is untrue".

 

[Cogwulf]

Actually I'm referring to how people misuse numbers.

It seems to me that anyone nowadays can say "99.9" or "99.99" without having to back it up with any evidence because it has became a colloquial term.

Many products claim to kill 99.99% of bacteria, though in truth they only say that because they can't prove that it kills 100% of bacteria.

It's become just another way of saying "practically all", and its' use in advertising and media is never a reference to a measured quantity.

[EDIT]beaten to it by Anthile

 

[Melllvar]

Did you know that it is a scientific fact that 99.9% of statements including the term "99.9%" have absolutely no factual basis?

Including this one. It's not like someone actually measured this "scientifically" and determined that 99.9% of such statements are false lack a factual basis.

 

[Trebuchet]

Many products claim to kill 99.99% of bacteria, though in truth they only say that because they can't prove that it kills 100% of bacteria.

That one always grosses me out. Say there are 1 billion bacteria. Killing 99.99% of them leaves 100,000 bacteria, all of whom now have the bacterium equivalent of elite soldier training.

I like to call people on statistics like these. Just rephrasing can confuse them. "Really, only 1 person in 10,000 can do that? I didn't realize it was so rare."

 

[Solitaire U.]

Many products claim to kill 99.99% of bacteria, though in truth they only say that because they can't prove that it kills 100% of bacteria.

Perhaps the greater irony is how this equates to mass-murder.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Actually I'm referring to how people misuse numbers.

It seems to me that anyone nowadays can say "99.9" or "99.99" without having to back it up with any evidence because it has became a colloquial term.

Anyone can say anything they want. Is there something wrong with it being a colloquial term? It should be clear whether the person is being literal or not.

Many products claim to kill 99.99% of bacteria, though in truth they only say that because they can't prove that it kills 100% of bacteria]

It's become just another way of saying "practically all", and its use in advertising and media is never a reference to a measured quantity.

I would think, however, that ads would actually have to have proof behind the statement. Do you have examples of where ads say that something gets rid of 99.9% of something without them actually having tested it?

Including this one. It's not like someone actually measured this "scientifically" and determined that 99.9% of such statements are false lack a factual basis.

O-FUCKING-RLY

Perhaps the greater irony is how this equates to mass-murder.

No not really.

 

[Solitaire U.]

Then I'd advise reconsideration of your fitness to respond, as your prose indicates there is much you miss...

 

[Cognisant]

That one always grosses me out. Say there are 1 billion bacteria. Killing 99.99% of them leaves 100,000 bacteria, all of whom now have the bacterium equivalent of elite soldier training.

Lol.

 

[EvilScientist Trainee]

Also, who would buy a product that kills 73,69% of bacteria?

Doing actual statistic work is too tiresome and boring for marketing guys. If kills most of it, then it's 99,9%.

 

[Roran]

The ones that didn't get slain by t3h ub3r p0w3r5 0f t3h 3thy1 @lc0h01 are resistant to it and are now free to divide and create better(worse) versions of themselves.

 

[BigApplePi]

At least 99.9% of all the living creatures on Earth are non-human. That makes the odds you are human very low assuming you are here on Earth. And don't give me any arguments about this. It is 99.999999999% true for the most part.

 

[Jesse]

I thought they use the 99.99 thing on bacteria because it does kill everything but no one would believe you if you told them 100%

 

[Hadoblado]

I think the bacteria thing is fine, it's just so they can't get sued if someone does find a living bacteria on a cleaned surface. I'm not a big fan of people making up statistics on the spot during conversation, but I know I've done it at times.

@Artsu Tharaz
Some people have difficulty seeing when people are being precise or not, and some people find difficulty communicating whether they are being precise or not. Concise communication is basically the INTP mandate, so it's not surprising that you'd find people opposed to ambiguous language here.

 

[unorthographic]

only somewhat related to 99.9% and very related to a need for concise communication, it's really not a great idea to kill all the bacteria in the world, or even 99.9% of it. but that argument goes back to mass marketing, lack of concise communicate and overall lack of thought by both marketers the masses we market to.