Principles of Statistical Inference

A comprehensive, balanced account of the theory of statistical inference, its main ideas and controversies.

No one is better placed than D. R. Cox to give the comprehensive, balanced account of the theory of statistical inference, its main ideas and controversies, that is now needed. This book is for every serious user or student of statistics - for anyone serious about the scientific understanding of uncertainty.In this definitive book, D. R. Cox gives a comprehensive and balanced appraisal of statistical inference. He develops the key concepts, describing and comparing the main ideas and controversies over foundational issues that have been keenly argued for more than two-hundred years. Continuing a sixty-year career of major contributions to statistical thought, no one is better placed to give this much-needed account of the field. An appendix gives a more personal assessment of the merits of different ideas. The content ranges from the traditional to the contemporary. While specific applications are not treated, the book is strongly motivated by applications across the sciences and associated technologies. The mathematics is kept as elementary as feasible, though previous knowledge of statistics is assumed. The book will be valued by every user or student of statistics who is serious about understanding the uncertainty inherent in conclusions from statistical analyses.