John W Edser wrote:
> Post A24
> 

> 
> JE:-
> Statistical expectations cannot _replace_ a prediction
> from a testable theory of what nature actually  is, it can
> only help test that theories predictions of nature (if they
> are testable).
> 
Statitical expectations _are_ predictions from a testable theory of what 
nature actually is.  At least any quantitative prediction will have to 
allow for uncertainty, statistical error etc, and hence the predictions 
will have to be of the form of expectations.

The tests of the (quantiative) theory come in the form of examination of 
fit of a model to data (goodness of fit statistics, examination of 
outliers etc.).

Bob

-- 
Bob O'Hara
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
P.O. Box 4 (Yliopistonkatu 5)
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki
Finland
Telephone: +358-9-191 23743
Mobile: +358 50 599 0540
Fax:  +358-9-191 22 779
WWW:  http://www.RNI.Helsinki.FI/~boh/
Journal of Negative Results - EEB: www.jnr-eeb.org
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