Spurious correlation #2,977 · View random
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and the second variable is Burglaries in District of Columbia. The chart goes from 2012 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and the second variable is Burglaries in District of Columbia. The chart goes from 2012 to 2021, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

As the number of Philosophy and religious studies graduates declined, there were fewer people pondering the concept of ownership and the material world, leading to a collective shift in perspective. With a reduced emphasis on materialistic pursuits, potential burglars were now more inclined to seek enlightenment and inner peace instead of material possessions. This led to a decrease in the motivation to engage in burglary in the District of Columbia.

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: [ Inspired by bauhaus ] Create an image of a university graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and religious studies joyously tossing their cap in the air against a backdrop of a sunny day. Meanwhile, a burglar walks away from a house carrying a help-wanted sign, portraying an optimistic outlook for the future. Ensure the composition highlights the contrasting emotions of excitement and hope. The depiction should include only scenes, people, and objects, it should not include text or speech bubbles.

This image generation prompt was also generated by AI, using the following sequence:

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You select one of a few potential scene descriptors that seems to go along with the variables described. You respond only with the scene descriptions provided and say nothing else.
User prompt: Here are two variables: Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and Burglaries in District of Columbia. Given these, which of the following image style descriptions seems most appropriate? Pick the one that seems to be related to one of the variables at hand. Please respond with only one of the following potential descriptions: a funny image macro Cute 2D animation Cutsy art illustration Cubism inspired by bauhaus
ChatGPT: Inspired by bauhaus

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You describe simple visual scenes that depict the two variables stated. You combine both variables into one scene.
User prompt: Please describe a visual scene that prominently depicts both Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and Burglaries in District of Columbia, in the following situation: As fewer students pondered the meaning of life, burglar's existential crises led them to seek fulfillment elsewhere. With less philosophical inspiration, they found greater fulfillment in finding legitimate employment, leading to a decrease in burglaries in District of Columbia.. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: A university graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and religious studies tossing their cap in the air with a big smile, as a burglar walks away from a house with a help-wanted sign in their hand, looking optimistic for the future.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You write and improve image generation prompts for DALLE-3. You maintain the same subjects, but enhance the visuals.
User prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ Inspired by bauhaus ] and depicting this scene: A university graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and religious studies tossing their cap in the air with a big smile, as a burglar walks away from a house with a help-wanted sign in their hand, looking optimistic for the future. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: [ Inspired by bauhaus ] Create an image of a university graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and religious studies joyously tossing their cap in the air against a backdrop of a sunny day. Meanwhile, a burglar walks away from a house carrying a help-wanted sign, portraying an optimistic outlook for the future. Ensure the composition highlights the contrasting emotions of excitement and hope.

*Variations in the User Prompts from chart to chart are just the result of random number generation in Python. I wrote a few arrays of various styles and methods to ask questions to change up the results. Every time this site writes an explanation or generates an image, the script picks from each at random.

I sequence the requests into multiple prompts because I find GPT 3.5 to perform much better with short, well-managed contexts. Thus, I track the context directly in Python and only ask ChatGPT targeted questions.
^{Show prompt for explanation} Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106 (fine-tuned)
System prompt: You provide humorous responses in the form of plausible sounding explanations for correlations. You assume the correlation is causative for the purpose of the explanation even if it is ridiculous. You do not chat with the user, you only reply with the causal connection explanation and nothing else.
User prompt: Please make up a funny explanation for how a decrease in Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies caused Burglaries in District of Columbia to decrease.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)

The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia

The Journal of Metaphysical Mischief

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!

^{Show prompt used to generate this paper} Quick note: This sequence is long and repetitive. That's how the prompt engineering works for this one. I manage the output in Python to format it into this PDF.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft a literature review section of an academic research paper, that starts out dry for the first few sentences but then becomes hilarious and goofy.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a literature review section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and Burglaries in District of Columbia. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Speak in the present tense for this section (the authors find...), as is common in academic research paper literature reviews. Name the sources in a format similar to this: In "Book," the authors find lorem and ipsum.

Make up the lorem and ipsum part, but make it sound related to the topic at hand.

Start by naming serious-sounding studies by authors like Smith, Doe, and Jones - but then quickly devolve. Name some real non-fiction books that would be related to the topic. Then name some real fiction books that sound like they could be related. Then devolve ever further, and mention something completely ridiculous, like you conducted literature review by reading the backs of shampoo bottles.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing relationship between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia. The endeavor was inspired by the curiosity to unearth any philosophical ponderings or divine interventions that might be influencing criminal behavior. As a wise philosopher once said, "It's all fun and games until someone loses a thesis."

Analyzing data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, our research team uncovered a correlation coefficient of 0.9678794 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2012 to 2021. This surprising statistical connection between academic pursuits and unlawful actions prompted us to joke that perhaps burglars were seeking enlightenment, but ended up in the wrong kind of "breaking and entering."

Our findings suggest a rather peculiar association between the two variables, sparking discussions about the potential influence of metaphysical contemplations on criminal activity. As the data revealed itself, we couldn't help but quip, "It seems that pondering the meaning of life isn't the only thing happening in these philosophical minds."

In conclusion, this research adds an unexpected dimension to the field of criminology and academic studies, leaving us with the realization that perhaps the pursuit of wisdom and the desire for material gain may not be as unrelated as one might think. As we pondered this unconventional connection, we couldn't help but ask, "Is it possible that these burglars were just trying to steal some enlightenment?"

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The pursuit of knowledge has long been revered as a noble endeavor, but our study delves into an unexpected connection between academic achievements and criminal behavior. As we embarked on this research journey, we couldn't help but contemplate the irony of criminals potentially finding inspiration in the pursuit of wisdom. It's almost as if they were trying to steal some "philo-sophisticated" ideas along with tangible possessions.
The correlation between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia has intrigued us, prompting a comprehensive investigation into this seemingly paradoxical relationship. We entered this research with a healthy dose of skepticism, but as the data began to unveil its surprising patterns, we couldn't resist the temptation to crack a joke or two. It seems that even statistical analyses can benefit from a bit of humor, prompting us to wonder if these burglars were simply "breaking into" new intellectual pursuits.
Our curiosity was piqued by the unexpected convergence of academia and criminality, leading us to ponder whether there might be deeper philosophical underpinnings behind the association we uncovered. It's as if these criminals were attempting to apply "unauthorized" philosophy in their everyday lives, albeit in a less-than-lawful manner.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

The existing literature on the relationship between academic disciplines and criminal behavior has primarily focused on sociological and psychological factors, often overlooking the potential influence of philosophical and religious studies. Smith (2015) conducted a comprehensive analysis of criminal tendencies among individuals pursuing various academic disciplines, yet the connection to subjects such as Philosophy and religious studies remained relatively unexplored. It seems that the philosophical musings of criminals have been hiding in the shadows, waiting to be brought into the spotlight.

In a similar vein, Doe (2018) delved into the psychological motivations underlying criminal activities, uncovering intricate patterns of behavior but failing to consider the potential impact of metaphysical contemplations on criminal decision-making. It appears that the "philosophical fingerprints" of criminal behavior have evaded detection for far too long.

Jones et al. (2020) examined the correlation between academic pursuits and criminal tendencies, revealing intriguing patterns across various disciplines. However, their study stopped short of investigating the specific influence of philosophical ruminations on criminal activities. It's almost as if the academic world has been turning a blind eye to the potential connection between pondering the mysteries of existence and engaging in illicit activities.

As we shift our focus to related non-fiction literature, books such as "Philosophy and the Art of Criminality" by A. Ethics and "Divine Interventions in Criminology" by P. Belief provide insightful perspectives on the intersection of philosophical and religious inquiries with criminal behavior. These works raise thought-provoking questions about the potential impact of intellectual pursuits on unlawful actions, shedding light on a realm of inquiry that has been largely overlooked. It's almost as if the philosophical and criminal worlds have been engaged in an elaborate game of hide and seek, with their interplay remaining just out of sight.

On the fictional side, works such as "The Burglar's Dilemma" by N. Tential and "Illusions of Enlightenment" by R. Ealistic present intriguing narratives that blur the lines between academic pursuits and criminal inclinations. While these books may belong to the realm of fiction, they offer imaginative scenarios that parallel the unexpected connection we have uncovered in our research. It's as if the boundaries between reality and fiction have become as blurred as the line between lawful and unlawful philosophical pursuits.

As we delved deeper into our literature review, we couldn't help but engage in unconventional sources of insight, such as analyzing the philosophical ponderings found on the back of shampoo bottles. It's amazing how wisdom can be found in the most unexpected places, even if it's paired with instructions for achieving luscious locks. It's almost as if the burglars were seeking enlightenment not just in academic pursuits, but also in everyday consumer products.

But I digress. Our review has illuminated a gap in the existing literature, revealing an intriguing connection between philosophical and religious studies Bachelor's degrees and burglaries in the District of Columbia. This unexpected correlation between intellectual pursuits and criminal activities challenges traditional notions of criminal motivations, prompting us to question the boundaries of knowledge-seeking and unlawful endeavors. It seems that the pursuit of wisdom and the pursuit of material gain may not be as distinct as we once thought, blurring the lines between scholarly contemplations and criminal inclinations. It seems that the burglars were looking to "philosophize" their way into their ethically questionable deeds.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the discussion section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the discussion section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and Burglaries in District of Columbia. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Limit your response to 500 tokens.

Here are the title, abstract, literature review, and results sections. Please harken back to 1-2 of the goofy items in the literature review, but pretend to take them completely seriously. Discuss how your results supported the prior research.

Do not write a conclusion. I will add a conclusion after this.

[[TITLE]]
The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing relationship between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia. The endeavor was inspired by the curiosity to unearth any philosophical ponderings or divine interventions that might be influencing criminal behavior. As a wise philosopher once said, "It's all fun and games until someone loses a thesis."

Analyzing data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, our research team uncovered a correlation coefficient of 0.9678794 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2012 to 2021. This surprising statistical connection between academic pursuits and unlawful actions prompted us to joke that perhaps burglars were seeking enlightenment, but ended up in the wrong kind of "breaking and entering."

Our findings suggest a rather peculiar association between the two variables, sparking discussions about the potential influence of metaphysical contemplations on criminal activity. As the data revealed itself, we couldn't help but quip, "It seems that pondering the meaning of life isn't the only thing happening in these philosophical minds."

In conclusion, this research adds an unexpected dimension to the field of criminology and academic studies, leaving us with the realization that perhaps the pursuit of wisdom and the desire for material gain may not be as unrelated as one might think. As we pondered this unconventional connection, we couldn't help but ask, "Is it possible that these burglars were just trying to steal some enlightenment?"

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
The existing literature on the relationship between academic disciplines and criminal behavior has primarily focused on sociological and psychological factors, often overlooking the potential influence of philosophical and religious studies. Smith (2015) conducted a comprehensive analysis of criminal tendencies among individuals pursuing various academic disciplines, yet the connection to subjects such as Philosophy and religious studies remained relatively unexplored. It seems that the philosophical musings of criminals have been hiding in the shadows, waiting to be brought into the spotlight.
In a similar vein, Doe (2018) delved into the psychological motivations underlying criminal activities, uncovering intricate patterns of behavior but failing to consider the potential impact of metaphysical contemplations on criminal decision-making. It appears that the "philosophical fingerprints" of criminal behavior have evaded detection for far too long.
Jones et al. (2020) examined the correlation between academic pursuits and criminal tendencies, revealing intriguing patterns across various disciplines. However, their study stopped short of investigating the specific influence of philosophical ruminations on criminal activities. It's almost as if the academic world has been turning a blind eye to the potential connection between pondering the mysteries of existence and engaging in illicit activities.
As we shift our focus to related non-fiction literature, books such as "Philosophy and the Art of Criminality" by A. Ethics and "Divine Interventions in Criminology" by P. Belief provide insightful perspectives on the intersection of philosophical and religious inquiries with criminal behavior. These works raise thought-provoking questions about the potential impact of intellectual pursuits on unlawful actions, shedding light on a realm of inquiry that has been largely overlooked. It's almost as if the philosophical and criminal worlds have been engaged in an elaborate game of hide and seek, with their interplay remaining just out of sight.
On the fictional side, works such as "The Burglar's Dilemma" by N. Tential and "Illusions of Enlightenment" by R. Ealistic present intriguing narratives that blur the lines between academic pursuits and criminal inclinations. While these books may belong to the realm of fiction, they offer imaginative scenarios that parallel the unexpected connection we have uncovered in our research. It's as if the boundaries between reality and fiction have become as blurred as the line between lawful and unlawful philosophical pursuits.
As we delved deeper into our literature review, we couldn't help but engage in unconventional sources of insight, such as analyzing the philosophical ponderings found on the back of shampoo bottles. It's amazing how wisdom can be found in the most unexpected places, even if it's paired with instructions for achieving luscious locks. It's almost as if the burglars were seeking enlightenment not just in academic pursuits, but also in everyday consumer products.
But I digress. Our review has illuminated a gap in the existing literature, revealing an intriguing connection between philosophical and religious studies Bachelor's degrees and burglaries in the District of Columbia. This unexpected correlation between intellectual pursuits and criminal activities challenges traditional notions of criminal motivations, prompting us to question the boundaries of knowledge-seeking and unlawful endeavors. It seems that the pursuit of wisdom and the pursuit of material gain may not be as distinct as we once thought, blurring the lines between scholarly contemplations and criminal inclinations. It seems that the burglars were looking to "philosophize" their way into their ethically questionable deeds.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the data revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9678794 between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia for the period from 2012 to 2021. This high correlation coefficient indicates a strong positive relationship between the two variables, leaving us scratching our heads and wondering if these burglars were on a quest for more than just material possessions – perhaps some Kant-ian enlightenment, if you will.
The r-squared value of 0.9367906 further solidified the robustness of the relationship between academic pursuits and criminal activities. It’s almost as if these burglars were striving for a philosophical argument for their actions, although we hasten to add that justifying criminal behavior based on Hegelian dialectics is not advisable.
As visible in Figure 1, the scatterplot unmistakably depicts a clear positive linear relationship between the number of Philosophy and religious studies Bachelor's degrees awarded and the incidence of burglaries, further highlighting the unexpected interconnectedness between intellectual endeavors and criminal behavior. One might even say that the "burglars had a degree in breaking and entering," if such a degree existed.
The p-value of less than 0.01 underscores the statistical significance of this correlation, prompting us to consider the possibility that these burglars were not just seeking tangible wealth, but perhaps also some intellectual stimulation in the form of misappropriated philosophical musings. It’s as though they were engaging in a unique form of "existential theft."
In conclusion, our findings shed light on an unconventional correlation between academic pursuits and criminal incidents, urging us to ponder the unexpected influence of philosophical and religious thought on the propensity for unlawful activities. As we wrap up this analysis, we couldn’t help but muse, "Who knew that pondering the meaning of life and stealing could have so much in common?"

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The results of our study have robustly supported the existing literature that has hinted at a potential connection between academic pursuits in Philosophy and religious studies and criminal behavior. It seems that the correlation coefficient of 0.9678794 we uncovered serves as a startling revelation, akin to stumbling upon Socrates in a prison break - unexpected and philosophically perplexing.

The statistical significance we observed, with a p-value less than 0.01, convincingly reinforces the notion that there is more to burglaries than meets the eye. As we contemplated these findings, we couldn't help but wonder if the burglars were attempting to "break" into the realm of ethereal enlightenment, albeit through unconventional means. It's almost as if they were trying to emulate a different kind of "breaking and entering" – breaking into the realms of philosophical ponderings and entering the domain of criminal activities simultaneously.

Our results align with the earlier documented gaps in the academic exploration of the relationship between academic disciplines and criminal tendencies. It's almost as if the burglars were echoing the sentiment of philosophers by attempting to unveil the hidden truths behind their actions, albeit in a manner contrary to the pursuit of knowledge's conventional norms. One might jest that they were staging their own "enlightenment heist," albeit to less scholarly acclaim.

The strong positive linear relationship depicted in the scatterplot further solidifies the unexpected interconnectedness between these seemingly disparate realms. It's almost as if the burglars were trying to "thieve" their way into the intellectual puzzle of philosophical inquiries – although we must emphasize that intellectual stimulation typically ensues from rigorous study and ethical contemplations.

In light of these findings, we are compelled to reconsider the boundaries of intellectual pursuits and criminal motivations. The unanticipated correlation prompts us to entertain the proposition that these burglars were seeking not just material gains, but perhaps also intellectual stimulation in the form of pilfered philosophical musings. It's almost as though they were subscribing to the notion of "acquiring knowledge through unconventional means" – although their methods could certainly benefit from a more ethical direction.

Although our study sheds light on an unexpected correlation, we must acknowledge its limitations. The scope of our investigation focused solely on data from the District of Columbia, and thus, caution is warranted in generalizing these findings to broader contexts. It's almost as if we've uncovered a philosophical puzzle that extends beyond the boundaries of a single region, beckoning for further exploration in metropolitan areas worldwide.

In summary, our findings pose a unique convergence of academic pursuits and criminal inclinations, raising questions not only about the motivations behind burglaries but also about the untold influence of contemplative thought on unlawful actions. As we grapple with this unconventional connection, we can't help but consider the possibility that these burglars were simply trying to "break" the mold of conventional criminal motivations, albeit in a remarkably philosophical manner.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.You draft the discussion section of goofy academic research papers that sounds like it belongs based on the title and abstract provided.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a short conclusion of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and Burglaries in District of Columbia. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences. Stay serious and dry most of the time, but then occasionally let your wit shine through.

Limit your response to 300 tokens. At the very end, assert that no more research is needed in this area.

Here are the title, abstract, introduction, and results sections.
[[TITLE]]
The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing relationship between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia. The endeavor was inspired by the curiosity to unearth any philosophical ponderings or divine interventions that might be influencing criminal behavior. As a wise philosopher once said, "It's all fun and games until someone loses a thesis."

Analyzing data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, our research team uncovered a correlation coefficient of 0.9678794 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2012 to 2021. This surprising statistical connection between academic pursuits and unlawful actions prompted us to joke that perhaps burglars were seeking enlightenment, but ended up in the wrong kind of "breaking and entering."

Our findings suggest a rather peculiar association between the two variables, sparking discussions about the potential influence of metaphysical contemplations on criminal activity. As the data revealed itself, we couldn't help but quip, "It seems that pondering the meaning of life isn't the only thing happening in these philosophical minds."

In conclusion, this research adds an unexpected dimension to the field of criminology and academic studies, leaving us with the realization that perhaps the pursuit of wisdom and the desire for material gain may not be as unrelated as one might think. As we pondered this unconventional connection, we couldn't help but ask, "Is it possible that these burglars were just trying to steal some enlightenment?"

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The pursuit of knowledge has long been revered as a noble endeavor, but our study delves into an unexpected connection between academic achievements and criminal behavior. As we embarked on this research journey, we couldn't help but contemplate the irony of criminals potentially finding inspiration in the pursuit of wisdom. It's almost as if they were trying to steal some "philo-sophisticated" ideas along with tangible possessions.
The correlation between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia has intrigued us, prompting a comprehensive investigation into this seemingly paradoxical relationship. We entered this research with a healthy dose of skepticism, but as the data began to unveil its surprising patterns, we couldn't resist the temptation to crack a joke or two. It seems that even statistical analyses can benefit from a bit of humor, prompting us to wonder if these burglars were simply "breaking into" new intellectual pursuits.
Our curiosity was piqued by the unexpected convergence of academia and criminality, leading us to ponder whether there might be deeper philosophical underpinnings behind the association we uncovered. It's as if these criminals were attempting to apply "unauthorized" philosophy in their everyday lives, albeit in a less-than-lawful manner.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the data revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.9678794 between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia for the period from 2012 to 2021. This high correlation coefficient indicates a strong positive relationship between the two variables, leaving us scratching our heads and wondering if these burglars were on a quest for more than just material possessions – perhaps some Kant-ian enlightenment, if you will.
The r-squared value of 0.9367906 further solidified the robustness of the relationship between academic pursuits and criminal activities. It’s almost as if these burglars were striving for a philosophical argument for their actions, although we hasten to add that justifying criminal behavior based on Hegelian dialectics is not advisable.
As visible in Figure 1, the scatterplot unmistakably depicts a clear positive linear relationship between the number of Philosophy and religious studies Bachelor's degrees awarded and the incidence of burglaries, further highlighting the unexpected interconnectedness between intellectual endeavors and criminal behavior. One might even say that the "burglars had a degree in breaking and entering," if such a degree existed.
The p-value of less than 0.01 underscores the statistical significance of this correlation, prompting us to consider the possibility that these burglars were not just seeking tangible wealth, but perhaps also some intellectual stimulation in the form of misappropriated philosophical musings. It’s as though they were engaging in a unique form of "existential theft."
In conclusion, our findings shed light on an unconventional correlation between academic pursuits and criminal incidents, urging us to ponder the unexpected influence of philosophical and religious thought on the propensity for unlawful activities. As we wrap up this analysis, we couldn’t help but muse, "Who knew that pondering the meaning of life and stealing could have so much in common?"

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our research has illuminated a compelling correlation between the attainment of Bachelor's degrees in Philosophy and religious studies and the frequency of burglaries in the District of Columbia. The statistically significant relationship, though unexpected, invites contemplation about the potential impact of philosophical musings on criminal inclinations. It appears that these burglars were aiming for more than just material possessions – they were striving for some "high-brow" enlightenment, albeit through unlawful means.

Our findings add an intriguing layer to the study of criminology, challenging traditional perceptions of the factors influencing criminal behavior. This unanticipated connection prompts us to consider the possibility that these burglars were not only after material gain but also seeking to "break into" the realm of philosophical thought. One might say they were attempting to be "break-in philosophers," although we advise against following in their footsteps.

It is evident from our research that the pursuit of knowledge and the commission of illicit acts may not be as distinct as commonly assumed. This connection stimulates further contemplation on the intertwining of intellectual pursuits and unlawful behavior, leaving us to ponder if these burglars were just trying to "steal some wisdom" alongside their loot.

As we close the chapter on this investigation, it is clear that our results have broadened the scope of inquiry into the complex interplay between education, ideology, and criminal conduct. The whimsical correlation uncovered offers a lighthearted but thought-provoking perspective on the relationship between academic endeavors and criminal activities. We're left to wonder if these burglars were merely seeking to "break into" the world of profound thought, albeit through unauthorized means.

In summary, our research stands as a testament to the unexpected and enigmatic connections that can emerge from statistical analyses. We tentatively conclude that no further research is needed in this particular area, as we believe this study has "broken in" enough unexpected insights to satisfy even the most ardent academic burglar.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of academic journals. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding research, scientific, or academic journal that would publish a paper entited The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Metaphysical Mischief

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of nonprofit research organizations and associations. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding nonprofit, academic, or scientific association or organization that would sponsor research that resulted in a paper entited The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Institute for Philosophical and Religious Studies Research

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide potential search keywords separated by commas. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide potential search keywords for a paper titled The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia with an abstract of In this study, we delved into the intriguing relationship between the number of Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy and religious studies and the incidence of burglaries in the District of Columbia. The endeavor was inspired by the curiosity to unearth any philosophical ponderings or divine interventions that might be influencing criminal behavior. As a wise philosopher once said, "It's all fun and games until someone loses a thesis."
Analyzing data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, our research team uncovered a correlation coefficient of 0.9678794 and a p-value of less than 0.01 for the period spanning from 2012 to 2021. This surprising statistical connection between academic pursuits and unlawful actions prompted us to joke that perhaps burglars were seeking enlightenment, but ended up in the wrong kind of "breaking and entering."
Our findings suggest a rather peculiar association between the two variables, sparking discussions about the potential influence of metaphysical contemplations on criminal activity. As the data revealed itself, we couldn't help but quip, "It seems that pondering the meaning of life isn't the only thing happening in these philosophical minds."
In conclusion, this research adds an unexpected dimension to the field of criminology and academic studies, leaving us with the realization that perhaps the pursuit of wisdom and the desire for material gain may not be as unrelated as one might think. As we pondered this unconventional connection, we couldn't help but ask, "Is it possible that these burglars were just trying to steal some enlightenment?

ChatGPT:

philosophy bachelor's degrees, religious studies bachelor's degrees, burglaries, correlation, District of Columbia, National Center for Education Statistics, FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, statistical analysis, academic pursuits, criminal activity, metaphysical contemplations, criminology, pursuit of wisdom, material gain

*There is a bunch of Python happening behind the scenes to turn this prompt sequence into a PDF.

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Data details

Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy
Detailed data title: Bachelor's degrees conferred by postsecondary institutions, in field of study: Philosophy and religious studies
Source: National Center for Education Statistics
See what else correlates with Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy

Burglaries in District of Columbia
Detailed data title: The burglary rate per 100,000 residents in District of Columbia
Source: FBI Criminal Justice Information Services
See what else correlates with Burglaries in District of Columbia

Correlation r = 0.9678794 (Pearson correlation coefficient)
Correlation is a measure of how much the variables move together. If it is 0.99, when one goes up the other goes up. If it is 0.02, the connection is very weak or non-existent. If it is -0.99, then when one goes up the other goes down. If it is 1.00, you probably messed up your correlation function.

r² = 0.9367906 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 93.7% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Burglaries in District of Columbia) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy) over the 10 years from 2012 through 2021.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 4.5E-6.^Show 0.0000044799286832987230000000
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme.^Note More specifically the p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme if we had only tested one pair of variables one time.

But I am a p-villain. I absolutely did not test only one pair of variables one time. I correlated hundreds of millions of pairs of variables. I threw boatloads of data into an industrial-sized blender to find this correlation.

Who is going to stop me? p-value reporting doesn't require me to report how many calculations I had to go through in order to find a low p-value!
On average, you will find a correaltion as strong as 0.97 in 0.00045% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 223,218 random variables^Note You don't actually need 223 thousand variables to find a correlation like this one. I don't have that many variables in my database. You can also correlate variables that are not independent. I do this a lot.

p-value calculations are useful for understanding the probability of a result happening by chance. They are most useful when used to highlight the risk of a fluke outcome. For example, if you calculate a p-value of 0.30, the risk that the result is a fluke is high. It is good to know that! But there are lots of ways to get a p-value of less than 0.01, as evidenced by this project.

In this particular case, the values are so extreme as to be meaningless. That's why no one reports p-values with specificity after they drop below 0.01.

Just to be clear: I'm being completely transparent about the calculations. There is no math trickery. This is just how statistics shakes out when you calculate hundreds of millions of random correlations.
with the same 9 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 9 because we have two variables measured over a period of 10 years. It's just the number of years minus ( the number of variables minus one ), which in this case simplifies to the number of years minus one.
you would randomly expect to find a correlation as strong as this one.

[ 0.87, 0.99 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
^{Read more about the confidence interval} The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

This one is a bit more complciated than the other calculations, but I include it because many people have been pushing for confidence intervals instead of p-value calculations (for example: NEJM. However, if you are dredging data, you can reliably find yourself in the 5%. That's my goal!

All values for the years included above: ^Note If I were being very sneaky, I could trim years from the beginning or end of the datasets to increase the correlation on some pairs of variables. I don't do that because there are already plenty of correlations in my database without monkeying with the years.

Still, sometimes one of the variables has more years of data available than the other. This page only shows the overlapping years. To see all the years, click on "See what else correlates with..." link above.

	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy (Degrees awarded)	14104	14338	13776	12925	12133	11740	11872	11981	11898	11988
Burglaries in District of Columbia (Burglary rate)	555.5	510.9	525.3	443.2	345	260	254.9	260.2	275.5	273.8

Why this works

Data dredging: I have 25,153 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 632,673,409 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead abused the data to see what correlations shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
Lack of causal connection: There is probably^Note Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple^Note Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.
Y-axis doesn't start at zero: I truncated the Y-axes of the graph above. I also used a line graph, which makes the visual connection stand out more than it deserves. ^Note Nothing against line graphs. They are great at telling a story when you have linear data! But visually it is deceptive because the only data is at the points on the graph, not the lines on the graph. In between each point, the data could have been doing anything. Like going for a random walk by itself!
Mathematically what I showed is true, but it is intentionally misleading. Below is the same chart but with both Y-axes starting at zero.

Try it yourself

You can calculate the values on this page on your own! Try running the Python code to see the calculation results. ^{Show the steps to do this.} Step 1: Download and install Python on your computer.

Step 2: Open a plaintext editor like Notepad and paste the code below into it.

Step 3: Save the file as "calculate_correlation.py" in a place you will remember, like your desktop. Copy the file location to your clipboard. On Windows, you can right-click the file and click "Properties," and then copy what comes after "Location:" As an example, on my computer the location is "C:\Users\tyler\Desktop"

Step 4: Open a command line window. For example, by pressing start and typing "cmd" and them pressing enter.

Step 5: Install the required modules by typing "pip install numpy", then pressing enter, then typing "pip install scipy", then pressing enter.

Step 6: Navigate to the location where you saved the Python file by using the "cd" command. For example, I would type "cd C:\Users\tyler\Desktop" and push enter.

Step 7: Run the Python script by typing "python calculate_correlation.py"

If you run into any issues, I suggest asking ChatGPT to walk you through installing Python and running the code below on your system. Try this question:

"Walk me through installing Python on my computer to run a script that uses scipy and numpy. Go step-by-step and ask me to confirm before moving on. Start by asking me questions about my operating system so that you know how to proceed. Assume I want the simplest installation with the latest version of Python and that I do not currently have any of the necessary elements installed. Remember to only give me one step per response and confirm I have done it before proceeding."

# These modules make it easier to perform the calculation
import numpy as np
from scipy import stats

# We'll define a function that we can call to return the correlation calculations
def calculate_correlation(array1, array2):

    # Calculate Pearson correlation coefficient and p-value
    correlation, p_value = stats.pearsonr(array1, array2)

    # Calculate R-squared as the square of the correlation coefficient
    r_squared = correlation**2

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([14104,14338,13776,12925,12133,11740,11872,11981,11898,11988,])
array_2 = np.array([555.5,510.9,525.3,443.2,345,260,254.9,260.2,275.5,273.8,])
array_1_name = "Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy"
array_2_name = "Burglaries in District of Columbia"

# Perform the calculation
print(f"Calculating the correlation between {array_1_name} and {array_2_name}...")
correlation, r_squared, p_value = calculate_correlation(array_1, array_2)

# Print the results
print("Correlation Coefficient:", correlation)
print("R-squared:", r_squared)
print("P-value:", p_value)

Reuseable content

You may re-use the images on this page for any purpose, even commercial purposes, without asking for permission. The only requirement is that you attribute Tyler Vigen. ^Note Attribution can take many different forms. If you leave the "tylervigen.com" link in the image, that satisfies it just fine. If you remove it and move it to a footnote, that's fine too. You can also just write "Charts courtesy of Tyler Vigen" at the bottom of an article.

You do not need to attribute "the spurious correlations website," and you don't even need to link here if you don't want to. I don't gain anything from pageviews. There are no ads on this site, there is nothing for sale, and I am not for hire.

For the record, I am just one person. Tyler Vigen, he/him/his. I do have degrees, but they should not go after my name unless you want to annoy my wife. If that is your goal, then go ahead and cite me as "Tyler Vigen, A.A. A.A.S. B.A. J.D." Otherwise it is just "Tyler Vigen."

When spoken, my last name is pronounced "vegan," like I don't eat meat.

Full license details.
For more on re-use permissions, or to get a signed release form, see tylervigen.com/permission.

Download images for these variables:

High resolution line chart ^Note The image linked here is a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG). It is the highest resolution that is possible to achieve. It scales up beyond the size of the observable universe without pixelating. You do not need to email me asking if I have a higher resolution image. I do not. The physical limitations of our universe prevent me from providing you with an image that is any higher resolution than this one.

If you insert it into a PowerPoint presentation (a tool well-known for managing things that are the scale of the universe), you can right-click > "Ungroup" or "Create Shape" and then edit the lines and text directly. You can also change the colors this way.

Alternatively you can use a tool like Inkscape.
High resolution line chart, optimized for mobile
Alternative high resolution line chart
Scatterplot
Portable line chart (png)
Portable line chart (png), optimized for mobile
Line chart for only Bachelor's degrees awarded in Philosophy
Line chart for only Burglaries in District of Columbia
AI-generated correlation image
The spurious research paper: The Philosoburglary Paradox: Unpacking the Correlation Between Philosophy and Religious Studies Bachelor's Degrees and Burglaries in the District of Columbia

View another random correlation

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Correlation ID: 2977 · Black Variable ID: 1287 · Red Variable ID: 20135


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