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 136-050 Philosophical Problems in Statistics

Note

Formerly available as 136-648, 136-512 and 136-495. Students who have completed 136-648, 136-512 or 136-495 are not eligible to enrol in this subject. This subject may be cancelled unless enrolments reach five.

Credit Points

12.5

HECS Band

1

Coordinator

Dr Neil Thomason

Prerequisites

Usually admission to the Postgraduate Diploma in HPS, Fourth Year Honours in HPS or a postgraduate coursework program.

Semester

Not Offered (view timetable)

Subject Description

This subject will examine the claim that statistics used in the social sciences are often seriously flawed. It will examine the history of 20th century statistics, with an emphasis on the Fisher/Neyman-Pearson debates and the attempts over the last 30 years to reform social science statistics. It will examine the claim that faulty statistics severely impede the growth of the social sciences. Finally, it will examine the claim that many outstanding philosophical questions about science can be answered by a sophisticated application of Bayes' theorem.



Search : Index : Faculty of Arts : History and philosophy of science
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