Statistical Inference: The Big Picture

TL;DR

This paper advocates for statistical pragmatism as a unifying philosophy for inference, emphasizing assumptions and a comprehensive 'big picture' view beyond traditional debates.

Contribution

It introduces statistical pragmatism as a practical foundation for inference and proposes a new 'big picture' framework for teaching statistics.

Findings

Statistical pragmatism unifies frequentist and Bayesian approaches.

The 'big picture' depiction improves understanding of inference.

Introductory courses often misrepresent statistical inference.

Abstract

Statistics has moved beyond the frequentist-Bayesian controversies of the past. Where does this leave our ability to interpret results? I suggest that a philosophy compatible with statistical practice, labeled here statistical pragmatism, serves as a foundation for inference. Statistical pragmatism is inclusive and emphasizes the assumptions that connect statistical models with observed data. I argue that introductory courses often mischaracterize the process of statistical inference and I propose an alternative "big picture" depiction.