In 'The Rise of Statistical Thinking, 1820-1900', Theodore M. Porter uncovers how the fledgling discipline of statistics transformed the way we perceive and interpret the world around us. This fascinating journey illustrates the clash between empirical data and social thought, revealing the profound implications of statistical reasoning on society and governance. Porter deftly navigates through historical narratives, from the rise of data collection methods to the increasing reliance on numbers in public policy. With a captivating exploration of key figures and events, this book prompts readers to question how statistics shapes our understanding of truth. Dive into the origins of statistical thought and discover its enduring legacy in today's data-driven age.
By Theodore M. Porter
Published: 1986
"The transformation of data into insight reshapes our understanding of the world, revealing patterns hidden in the chaos of everyday life."
Not since the invention of the calculus, if ever, has a new field of mathematics found such extensive application as statistics in the twentieth-century. This book presents thoroughly and lucidly the diverse nineteenth-century origins of the mathematical tool of our day. Emphasizing the debt of science to nonspecialist intellectuals, Theodore Porter describes in detail the nineteenth-century background that produced the burst of modern statistical innovation of the early 1900s. He shows that the natural and social sciences were surprisingly interdependent. Statistics arose as a study of society, the science of the statist, and the pioneering statistical physicists and biologists, Maxwell, Boltzmann, and Galton, each introduced statistical models by pointing to analogies between his discipline and social science. The author also examines significant philosophical issues raised by the development of statistics in the 1800s. For a time, the evident success of statistical social science was held to be inconsistent with human free will. Gradually a consensus was developed that the need for statistical methods arose from the diversity of phenomena, which precluded explanation in detail. Debates concerning the nature of statistical knowledge were central to the new indeterminism that began to emerge at the end of the century. -- from back cover.
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“The transformation of data into insight reshapes our understanding of the world, revealing patterns hidden in the chaos of everyday life.”
The Rise of Statistical Thinking, 1820-1900
By Theodore M. Porter
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Theodore M. Porter is an esteemed historian of science and technology, renowned for his insightful analyses of the intersection between science, society, and culture. His notable works include 'Trust in Numbers: The Pursuit of Objectivity in Science and Public Life' and 'Science, Politics, and the Humanities: The Challenge of the New.' Porter's writing style is characterized by its clarity and depth, inviting readers to consider the broader implications of scientific practices. He is a faculty member at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he continues to inspire scholars and students alike.
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