Teaching the Difficult Past of Statistics to Improve the Future
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 4:00 - 4:30 pm EDT
Presented by: Lee Kennedy-Shaffer (Vassar College)
Abstract: In this October edition of the JSDSE/cause webinar series, we highlight the 2023
article: Teaching the Difficult Past of Statistics to Improve the Future. The author will
discuss how, in recent years, the discipline of statistics has begun reckoning with its
difficult history. Institutions are reconsidering names that have honored key historical
figures in statistics who have deep ties to eugenics movements and racial and class
prejudice. These names, however, continue to appear in our classrooms, where we teach the
methods created by these individuals, raising the question of how instructors should
address their legacies. Three examples of famous statisticians and their work—Francis
Galton’s use of conditional probabilities to demonstrate “hereditary talent,” Karl
Pearson’s attempt to quantify the intelligence of Jewish immigrant students, and Ronald A.
Fisher’s creation of the analysis of variance to de-emphasize environment in human
development—highlight the intimate ties between statistics and eugenics. These examples,
along with a discussion of the context of these men, eugenics movements, and the
statisticians and scientists who opposed their eugenic programs, can humanize the field
for students, teach them about the challenges in accurate and unbiased data collection and
analysis, and connect historical mistakes to contemporary ethical issues. Confronting this
history in the classroom can both improve the teaching of the statistical methodologies
themselves and begin a broader conversation about the role of statistics in the world.
Article Link:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26939169.2023.2224407
The webinar is free but pre-registration is required. Please sign up at:
https://www.causeweb.org/cause/webinar/jsdse/2023-10
Please join us!
Leigh Johnson