Breakthroughs in Statistics: Methodology and Distribution: 002 (Springer Series in Statistics) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0387940391 ISBN 13: 9780387940397

Publisher: Springer, 1993

Synopsis

McCrimmon, having gotten Grierson's attention, continued: "A breakthrough, you say? If it's in economics, at least it can't be dangerous. Nothing like gene engineering, laser beams, sex hormones or international relations. That's where we don't want any breakthroughs. " (Galbraith, 1. K. (1990) A Tenured Profes­ sor, Houghton Mifflin; Boston. ) To judge [astronomy] in this way [a narrow utilitarian point of view] demon­ strates not only how poor we are, but also how small, narrow, and indolent our minds are; it shows a disposition always to calculate the payolTbefore the work, a cold heart and a lack of feeling for everything that is great and honors man. One can unfortunately not deny that such a mode of thinking is not uncommon in our age, and I am convinced that this is closely connected with the catastro­ phes which have befallen many countries in recent times; do not mistake me, I do not talk of the general lack of concern for science, but of the source from which all this has come, of the tendency to everywhere look out for one's advan­ tage and to relate everything to one's physical well-being, of the indilTerence towards great ideas, ofthe aversion to any elTort which derives from pure enthu­ siasm: I believe that such attitudes, if they prevail, can be decisive in catas­ trophes of the kind we have experienced. [Gauss, K. F. : Astronomische An­ trittsvorlesung (cited from Buhler, W. K. (1981) Gauss: A Biographical Study, Springer: New York)].

About this title

Review

"It may be risky to recommend that everyone should own this book... but I take that risk. Not only should we have it in our personal libraries, but we should loan it to our students. They will use it the same way we do, beginning with the famous masterpieces, then reading introductions of works they may not have seen before, and finally reading the papers..." (Journal of the Am. Statistical Assoc.)

Synopsis

This is the second of a two volume collection of seminal papers in the statistical sciences written during the past 100 years. These papers have each had an outstanding influence on the development of statistical theory and practice over the last century. Each paper is preceded by an introduction written by an authority in the field providing background information and assessing its influence. Readers will enjoy a fresh outlook on now well-established features of statistical techniques and philosophy by becoming acquainted with the ways they have been developed. It is hoped that some readers will be stimulated to study some of the references provided in the Introduction (and also in the papers themselves) and so attain a deeper background knowledge of the basis of their work.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387940391
• ISBN 13: 9780387940397
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 628
• Editor: Kotz Samuel, Johnson Norman L.