Had a quick look around and although there are some questions on statistics there is not one that asks this specific question.
I am about to return to university to study a masters in a statistical discipline (statistics methods in ecology).
Who/what can I read that will help me answer the following questions:
- How does statistical inference differ from other types of scientific knowledge?
- What are the philosophical positions that underpin a justified belief in the results of statistical analysis?
- Are there any philosophical differences between 'weak' statistical inference and 'strong' inference.
By weak inference I mean the kind of result that often appears in the field of ecology or the social sciences. By strong inference I mean large hadron collider experiment proves existence of higgs boson beyond reasonable doubt type of result. Is there a philosophical difference or is it simply a matter of degree?
I am not looking for the answers to these questions here, just where I can do some reading on the topic.
It is a brand new area for me so if my questions are not well formulated for a sensible answer then please let me know and I'll edit the question as best I can.