"This account of how a once reviled theory, Baye’s rule, came to underpin modern life is both approachable and engrossing" (Sunday Times). A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice Bayes' rule appears to be a straightforward, one-line theorem: by updating our initial beliefs with objective new information, we get a new and improved belief. To its adherents, it is an elegant statement about learning from experience. To its opponents, it is subjectivity run amok. In the first-ever account of Bayes' rule for general readers, Sharon Bertsch McGrayne explores this controversial theorem and the generations-long human drama surrounding it. McGrayne traces the rule’s discovery by an 18th century amateur mathematician through its development by French scientist Pierre Simon Laplace. She reveals why respected statisticians rendered it professionally taboo for 150 years—while practitioners relied on it to solve crises involving great uncertainty and scanty information, such as Alan Turing's work breaking Germany's Enigma code during World War II. McGrayne also explains how the advent of computer technology in the 1980s proved to be a game-changer. Today, Bayes' rule is used everywhere from DNA de-coding to Homeland Security. Drawing on primary source material and interviews with statisticians and other scientists, The Theory That Would Not Die is the riveting account of how a seemingly simple theorem ignited one of the greatest controversies of all time.
If you know how to program with Python, and know a little about probability, you're ready to tackle Bayesian statistics. This book shows you how to use Python code instead of math to help you learn Bayesian fundamentals. Once you get the math out of the way, you'll be able to apply these techniques to real-world problems.
In this richly illustrated book, a range of accessible examples are used to show how Bayes' rule is actually a natural consequence of commonsense reasoning. The tutorial style of writing, combined with a comprehensive glossary, makes this an ideal primer for the novice who wishes to become familiar with the basic principles of Bayesian analysis.
***** #1 Kindle Store Bestseller in Mathematics (Throughout 2016) ********** #1 Kindle Store Bestseller in Education Theory (Throughout 2017) *****If you are looking for a short beginners guide packed with visual examples, this book is for you. Bayes' Theorem Examples: A Beginners Visual Approach to Bayesian Data Analysis If you've recently used Google search to find something, Bayes' Theorem was used to find your search results. The same is true for those recommendations on Netflix. Hedge funds? Self-driving cars? Search and Rescue? Bayes' Theorem is used in all of the above and more. At its core, Bayes' Theorem is a simple probability and statistics formula that has revolutionized how we understand and deal with uncertainty. If life is seen as black and white, Bayes' Theorem helps us think about the gray areas. When new evidence comes our way, it helps us update our beliefs and create a new belief.Ready to dig in and visually explore Bayes' Theorem? Let's go! Over 60 hand-drawn visuals are included throughout the book to help you work through each problem as you learn by example. The beautifully hand-drawn visual illustrations are specifically designed and formatted for the kindle.This book also includes sections not found in other books on Bayes' Rule. These include: A short tutorial on how to understand problem scenarios and find P(B), P(A), and P(B|A). - For many people, knowing how to approach scenarios and break them apart can be daunting. In this booklet, we provide a quick step-by-step reference on how to confidently understand scenarios. A few examples of how to think like a Bayesian in everyday life. Bayes' Rule might seem somewhat abstract, but it can be applied to many areas of life and help you make better decisions. Learn how Bayes can help you with critical thinking, problem-solving, and dealing with the gray areas of life. A concise history of Bayes' Rule. - Bayes' Theorem has a fascinating 200+ year history, and we have summed it up for you in this booklet. From its discovery in the 1700's to its being used to break the German's Enigma Code during World War 2. Fascinating real-life stories on how Bayes' formula is used everyday.From search and rescue to spam filtering and driverless cars, Bayes is used in many areas of modern day life. An expanded Bayes' Theorem definition, including notations, and proof section. - In this section we define core elementary bayesian statistics terms more concretely. A recommended readings sectionFrom The Theory That Would Not Die to Think Bayes: Bayesian Statistics in Pythoni> and many more, there are a number of fantastic resources we have collected for further reading. If you are a visual learner and like to learn by example, this intuitive Bayes' Theorem 'for dummies' type book is a good fit for you. Praise for Bayes' Theorem Examples "...What Morris has presented is a useful way to provide the reader with a basic understanding of how to apply the theorem. He takes it easy step by easy step and explains matters in a way that almost anyone can understand. Moreover, by using Venn Diagrams and other visuals, he gives the reader multiple ways of understanding exactly what is going on in Bayes' theorem. The way in which he presents this material helps solidify in the reader's mind how to use Bayes' theorem..." - Doug E. - TOP 100 REVIEWER"...For those who are predominately "Visual Learners", as I certainly am, I highly recommend this book...I believe I gained more from this book than I did from college statistics. Or at least, one fantastic refresher after 20 some years after the fact." - Tin F. TOP 50 REVIEWER
Fun guide to learning Bayesian statistics and probability through unusual and illustrative examples. Probability and statistics are increasingly important in a huge range of professions. But many people use data in ways they don't even understand, meaning they aren't getting the most from it. Bayesian Statistics the Fun Way will change that. This book will give you a complete understanding of Bayesian statistics through simple explanations and un-boring examples. Find out the probability of UFOs landing in your garden, how likely Han Solo is to survive a flight through an asteroid shower, how to win an argument about conspiracy theories, and whether a burglary really was a burglary, to name a few examples. By using these off-the-beaten-track examples, the author actually makes learning statistics fun. And you'll learn real skills, like how to: - How to measure your own level of uncertainty in a conclusion or belief - Calculate Bayes theorem and understand what it's useful for - Find the posterior, likelihood, and prior to check the accuracy of your conclusions - Calculate distributions to see the range of your data - Compare hypotheses and draw reliable conclusions from them Next time you find yourself with a sheaf of survey results and no idea what to do with them, turn to Bayesian Statistics the Fun Way to get the most value from your data.
Fans of Chris Ferrie's Rocket Science for Babies, Astrophysics for Babies, and 8 Little Planets will love this introduction to the basic principles of probability for babies and toddlers! Help your future genius become the smartest baby in the room! It only takes a small spark to ignite a child's mind. If you took a bite out of a cookie and that bite has no candy in it, what is the probability that bite came from a candy cookie or a cookie with no candy? You and baby will find out the probability and discover it through different types of distribution. Yet another Baby University board book full of simple explanations of complex ideas written by an expert for your future genius! If you're looking for baby math books, probability for kids, or more Baby University board books to surprise your little one, look no further! Bayesian Probability for Babies offers fun early learning for your little scientist!
This in-depth discussion of New Testament scholarship and the challenges of history as a whole proposes Bayes’s Theorem, which deals with probabilities under conditions of uncertainty, as a solution to the problem of establishing reliable historical criteria. The author demonstrates that valid historical methods—not only in the study of Christian origins but in any historical study—can be described by, and reduced to, the logic of Bayes’s Theorem. Conversely, he argues that any method that cannot be reduced to this theorem is invalid and should be abandoned. Writing with thoroughness and clarity, the author explains Bayes’s Theorem in terms that are easily understandable to professional historians and laypeople alike, employing nothing more than well-known primary school math. He then explores precisely how the theorem can be applied to history and addresses numerous challenges to and criticisms of its use in testing or justifying the conclusions that historians make about the important persons and events of the past. The traditional and established methods of historians are analyzed using the theorem, as well as all the major "historicity criteria" employed in the latest quest to establish the historicity of Jesus. The author demonstrates not only the deficiencies of these approaches but also ways to rehabilitate them using Bayes’s Theorem. Anyone with an interest in historical methods, how historical knowledge can be justified, new applications of Bayes’s Theorem, or the study of the historical Jesus will find this book to be essential reading.
Bayes’ Theorem is hard. Is it, though? If you flick through any of the other books on Bayesian statistics you’ll get the distinct impression that you’ll have a lot of really hard maths to do, and it can be really intimidating. But is that what Bayesian stats is really all about? If you’re wondering whether you should have a look at Bayesian statistics to see if it’s right for you, then Bayes’ Theorem and Bayesian Statistics in the Getting Started With Statistics series is your first port of call. If what you need is a short guide to getting started, a snappy little non-threatening introduction to Bayes’ Theorem and Bayesian Statistics that dispels the biggest myths, answers the most frequently asked questions and inspires you to take the next steps in your journey, then look no further. Bayes’ Theorem and Bayesian Statistics is that guide. This book is not written for statisticians. Nor is it written by a statistician. A Physicist by trade, and a self-taught statistician, I may have worked (and taught) as a statistician for several years but I have my own struggles with statistics, so I understand where the hard bits are. Better still, I know how to explain them to others in plain English without using difficult to understand technical terminology. That’s what you can expect in this book. First, I’ll explain what Bayes’ Theorem is in simple terms. Then you’ll move on to understanding what conditional probability is and why you don’t need it if you want to find a parking spot, but you do if you’re playing cards (and you want to win). You’ll learn about Prior and Posterior probabilities, and use them to work out if you need to take a brolly to the beach with you (spoiler alert – I live in Scotland. I always need to take a brolly to the beach!). Then I’ll bust a few myths about what Bayesian statistics is – and what it isn’t. By this point you’ll have made up your mind about whether you want to go further, so I’ll show you how to take your next steps. Bayes’ Theorem and Bayesian Statistics makes no assumptions about your previous experience and is perfect for beginners and the Bayes-curious! Discover the world of Bayes’ Theorem and Bayesian Statistics. Get this book, TODAY!
Praise for Bayes Rules!: An Introduction to Applied Bayesian Modeling “A thoughtful and entertaining book, and a great way to get started with Bayesian analysis.” Andrew Gelman, Columbia University “The examples are modern, and even many frequentist intro books ignore important topics (like the great p-value debate) that the authors address. The focus on simulation for understanding is excellent.” Amy Herring, Duke University “I sincerely believe that a generation of students will cite this book as inspiration for their use of – and love for – Bayesian statistics. The narrative holds the reader’s attention and flows naturally – almost conversationally. Put simply, this is perhaps the most engaging introductory statistics textbook I have ever read. [It] is a natural choice for an introductory undergraduate course in applied Bayesian statistics." Yue Jiang, Duke University “This is by far the best book I’ve seen on how to (and how to teach students to) do Bayesian modeling and understand the underlying mathematics and computation. The authors build intuition and scaffold ideas expertly, using interesting real case studies, insightful graphics, and clear explanations. The scope of this book is vast – from basic building blocks to hierarchical modeling, but the authors’ thoughtful organization allows the reader to navigate this journey smoothly. And impressively, by the end of the book, one can run sophisticated Bayesian models and actually understand the whys, whats, and hows.” Paul Roback, St. Olaf College “The authors provide a compelling, integrated, accessible, and non-religious introduction to statistical modeling using a Bayesian approach. They outline a principled approach that features computational implementations and model assessment with ethical implications interwoven throughout. Students and instructors will find the conceptual and computational exercises to be fresh and engaging.” Nicholas Horton, Amherst College An engaging, sophisticated, and fun introduction to the field of Bayesian statistics, Bayes Rules!: An Introduction to Applied Bayesian Modeling brings the power of modern Bayesian thinking, modeling, and computing to a broad audience. In particular, the book is an ideal resource for advanced undergraduate statistics students and practitioners with comparable experience. Bayes Rules! empowers readers to weave Bayesian approaches into their everyday practice. Discussions and applications are data driven. A natural progression from fundamental to multivariable, hierarchical models emphasizes a practical and generalizable model building process. The evaluation of these Bayesian models reflects the fact that a data analysis does not exist in a vacuum. Features • Utilizes data-driven examples and exercises. • Emphasizes the iterative model building and evaluation process. • Surveys an interconnected range of multivariable regression and classification models. • Presents fundamental Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation. • Integrates R code, including RStan modeling tools and the bayesrules package. • Encourages readers to tap into their intuition and learn by doing. • Provides a friendly and inclusive introduction to technical Bayesian concepts. • Supports Bayesian applications with foundational Bayesian theory.
