The Politics of Large Numbers
Douban
A History of Statistical Reasoning
Alain Desrosières Camille Naish
overview
Statistics-driven thinking is ubiquitous in modern society. In this study of the history of statistics, which begins with probability theory in the 17th century, Alain Desrosieres shows how the evolution of modern statistics has been inextricably bound up with the knowledge and power of governments. He traces the complex reciprocity between modern governments and the mathematical artifacts that both dictate the duties of the state and measure its successes.
contents
Introduction: Arguing from Social Facts
Prefects and Geometers
Judges and Astronomers
Averages and the Realism of Aggregates
Correlation and the Realism of Causes
Statistics and the State: France and Great Britain
Statistics and the State: Germany and the United States
The Part for the Whole: Monographs or Representative Sampling
Classifying and Encoding
Modeling and Adjusting
Conclusion: Disputing the Indisputable