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A Bureaucratic Theory of Statistics

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arxiv 2501.03457 v1 pith:A64NNK7U submitted 2025-01-07 stat.OT

classification stat.OT
keywords antebureaucraticstatisticalstatisticspolicyrulesactionsappreciation
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This commentary proposes a framework for understanding the role of statistics in policy-making, regulation, and bureaucratic systems. I introduce the concept of "ex ante policy," describing statistical rules and procedures designed before data collection to govern future actions. Through examining examples, particularly clinical trials, I explore how ex ante policy serves as a calculus of bureaucracy, providing numerical foundations for governance through clear, transparent rules. The ex ante frame obviates heated debates about inferential interpretations of probability and statistical tests, p-values, and rituals. I conclude by calling for a deeper appreciation of statistics' bureaucratic function and suggesting new directions for research in policy-oriented statistical methodology.

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Cited by 1 Pith paper

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  1. Aggregated Individual Reporting for Post-Deployment Evaluation

    cs.CY 2025-06 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    The authors formalize a mechanism for collecting and aggregating public reports about deployed AI systems, aiming to surface unknown harms and enable accountability.

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