Hello, I'm Ted Harding, and I much welcome this new list for discussion
of the History of Statistics.

Since I first migrated from Pure/Applied Mathematics to Statistics,
in 1964, I have increasingly (and still increasingly) come to realise
how important an appreciation of the history of its development is
to a proper understanding of Statistics. In a way, it is like the
growth of a road/rail network: since hundreds of years ago, people
have sought to lay down routes between As and Bs, according as the
needs to go from an A to a B arose. Technical, even conceptual,
problems arose for the crossing of different kinds of terrain.
Branch lines and cross-links were added, and tunnels through hills
that obscured the distant landscape were dug. Nowadays we have air
transport as well. But having the technical skill to build a route
from A to B is only part of it: understanding why we need to go from
A to B is fundamental!

So I look forward very much to this list.

As for my own history in Statistics: I have worked in Aberdeen,
Edinburgh, Cambridge and Manchester Universities until retirement
in 2001, on matters ranging from Probability and Statistical Theory
to Medicine, Biology, Fisheries, Whaling, Engineering and Pollution
Monitoring.

Best wishes to all,
Ted.

On 16-Dec-2014 08:05:59 Macfarlane, Alison wrote:
> Welcome to everyone who has joined this new list. To get things going
> and know who is on it, please consider sending an email to the list
> to introduce yourself.
> Alison Macfarlane

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E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 16-Dec-2014  Time: 12:34:36
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