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I don't get this fear of math. You're talking about probability theory here. It literally _is_ mathematics. Why would someone want to study applied probability

I don't get this fear of math. You're talking about probability theory here. It literally _is_ mathematics. Why would someone want to study applied probability theory but try and dodge the foundation of the entire discipline? Sigh.

chaps 6y ago
Why would someone want to play music but try and dodge the foundations of music theory? Why would someone want to paint but try and dodge the foundations of art theory? Why would someone want to learn a new language but try and dodge learning language theory? Why would someone want to learn to program but try and dodge learning category theory?
- iamcreasy 6y ago
  Correct. People can still enjoy a discipline without being fluent in its vocabulary. This book explain the fundamental using pictures, storytelling which I believe is more approachable for people without years of training in math/stat training. The book tries to explain a few things very well. Also the author is well aware when things are getting complicated, and he acknowledges it and holds the hand of the reader. Here is an excerpt from the book where he was explaining how to write a statistical model and ends with a reassuring note saying if it doesn't make sense it means they are holding the right book. https://imgur.com/ZupQLco https://imgur.com/ZupQLco I wish more books would do that. Breaking the 4th wall.
mindcrime 6y ago
Why would somebody want to modify their car without getting a degree in Mechanical Engineering first? Why would somebody want to become an airline pilot without doing a graduate degree in fluid dynamics? ... Not everybody needs to drill down to the most fundamental levels of a discipline.
- srean 6y ago
  Depends on what you want you want to do with Bayesian data Analysis. If you want to be a mouse mover and button pusher, then yes perhaps you can get away without knowing the math, but even then I doubt that's true. A job of a data analysis also requires one to adapt to the new situations, variations etc. The job is closer to that of a car mechanic than that of a car driver. Its not really a brick laying kind of a job. Knowing the math is not a all or nothing deal, one need not get into its most sophisticated avatar right from scratch. However, if one one thinks that one can become something more than a mouse clicker, the person is just deluding oneself.
iamcreasy 6y ago
The book explains probability theory is a more intuitive way.

chaps 6y ago

Why would someone want to play music but try and dodge the foundations of music theory? Why would someone want to paint but try and dodge the foundations of art theory? Why would someone want to learn a new language but try and dodge learning language theory? Why would someone want to learn to program but try and dodge learning category theory?

iamcreasy 6y ago
Correct. People can still enjoy a discipline without being fluent in its vocabulary. This book explain the fundamental using pictures, storytelling which I believe is more approachable for people without years of training in math/stat training. The book tries to explain a few things very well. Also the author is well aware when things are getting complicated, and he acknowledges it and holds the hand of the reader. Here is an excerpt from the book where he was explaining how to write a statistical model and ends with a reassuring note saying if it doesn't make sense it means they are holding the right book. https://imgur.com/ZupQLco https://imgur.com/ZupQLco I wish more books would do that. Breaking the 4th wall.

mindcrime 6y ago

Why would somebody want to modify their car without getting a degree in Mechanical Engineering first? Why would somebody want to become an airline pilot without doing a graduate degree in fluid dynamics? ... Not everybody needs to drill down to the most fundamental levels of a discipline.

srean 6y ago
Depends on what you want you want to do with Bayesian data Analysis. If you want to be a mouse mover and button pusher, then yes perhaps you can get away without knowing the math, but even then I doubt that's true. A job of a data analysis also requires one to adapt to the new situations, variations etc. The job is closer to that of a car mechanic than that of a car driver. Its not really a brick laying kind of a job. Knowing the math is not a all or nothing deal, one need not get into its most sophisticated avatar right from scratch. However, if one one thinks that one can become something more than a mouse clicker, the person is just deluding oneself.

iamcreasy 6y ago

The book explains probability theory is a more intuitive way.