On Thu, 10 Oct 2002, Philip McShane wrote:
> ... a serious problem in statistics:
> statisticians use different terms for the same thing, and the same
> term for different things, on an individualistic basis.
But this is because there is no definition of a "statistician" and no
public support for making this a recognised profession. The Sally Clark
case, in which a medical expert witness offered preposterous and
misleading evidence on statistics, prompted the RSS to write to the Lord
Chancellor's office, but it received a very bland reply. Personally I
refer to Kendall and Buckland "A dictionary of statistical terms", and not
infequently find that someone has picked up on a method or term that was
suggested many years ago, hardly used, and has little modern relevance -
what would a surgeon think to a new colleague who spouted on about
"humours"?
On the other hand, many terms are not, as you suggest, cut and dried.
Biologists are still wrestling with several competing ideas on how to
define a "species".
R. Allan Reese Email: [log in to unmask]
Associate Manager Direct voice: +44 1482 466845
Graduate Research Institute Voice messages: +44 1482 466844
Hull University, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. Fax: +44 1482 466436
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