Statistics among the Liberal Arts

Abstract The liberal arts are usually understood to be general and flexible modes of reasoning. By this definition, statistics qualifies as a liberal art, and it is important to the health of the discipline that it be recognized as such. The “philosophical” tradition of the liberal arts that is now dominant has alternated with an “oratorical” tradition that also gives insight, as do ideas of “evolutionary psychology.” This paper considers how understanding statistics as a liberal art influences our appreciation of the discipline and especially our teaching of beginners.

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