Other Reading
For a short introduction to the foundations of statistics, see ch. 8 ("Probability and statistical inference") of Kendall's Advanced Theory of Statistics (6th edition, 1994).
In his book Statistics As Principled Argument, Robert P. Abelson articulates the position that statistics serves as a standardized means of settling disputes between scientists who could otherwise each argue the merits of their own positions ad infinitum. From this point of view, statistics is a form of rhetoric; as with any means of settling disputes, statistical methods can succeed only as long as all parties agree on the approach used.
Read more about this topic: Foundations Of Statistics
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