Exploring Coincidences

Show Audio

Highlights:

Theories of Coincidence win real Belief Systems win real

Date:	04-13-04
Host:	George Noory
Guests:	Martin Plimmer, Brian King

Authors of Beyond Coincidence(1), Brian King & Martin Plimmer, shared their in-depth exploration into the phenomena of coincidence. From the mathematical point of view, Plimmer said, "everything happens by chance." And yet, he related a story of how a statistics teacher was trying to demonstrate the odds of 50/50 to his class, by tossing a coin and the coin landed on its side. The chances of this happening were estimated to be a billion to one, let alone on an occasion when statistics were in question.
We tend to expect numbers to even out, but they are often lumped together, such as when similar numbers win in the lottery several weeks in a row, said King. Interestingly, he said statistically you only need 23 random people to find two individuals who have the same birthday.
People who are insecure about their fate in the world tend to believe there is reason and meaning behind synchronicities in their lives, while those more secure, tend to view coincidences as random occurrences, King postulated. Additionally, people who look out for coincidences spot them more often, and this gives them comfort, said Plimmer.

1. http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1840465344/qid=1081926762/

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Bumper Music

Bumper music from Tuesday April 13, 2004

1.	Abracadabra Steve Miller Band	2.	Baker Street Gerry Rafferty	3.	Beautiful Girl INXS
4.	Brandy Looking Glass	5.	China Grove Doobie Brothers	6.	I Feel the Earth Move Carole King
7.	Inca Dance Cusco	8.	Leave It Yes	9.	Midnight Express (The Chase) Giorgio Moroder
10.	Midnight Express (The Chase) Giorgio Moroder	11.	Return to Innocence Enigma	12.	Supernatural Thing Ben E. King
13.	The Logical Song Supertramp	14.	Walk of Life Dire Straits	15.	Wrapped Around Your Finger Police
16.	Babylon Sisters Steely Dan	17.	You Better You Bet The Who