BUILT-IN LIMITATION OF STATISTICS

[摘要] "You can prove anything by statistics," is a common gibe. Its contrary is more nearly true—you can never prove anything by statistics. The statistician is dealing with the most complex cases of multiple causation. He may show the facts are in accordance with this hypothesis or that. But it is quite another thing to show all other possible hypotheses are excluded, and that the facts do not admit of any other interpretation than the particular one he may have in mind.

[学科分类] 儿科学