Statistics and Faith: How they can / do / don't / should / shouldn't / mustn't work together?

“Determining what is correct is a science. Truth is reality.” (pg 32 of Statistics & Faith, by Jason Wilson)Jason Wilson went to university for the math, stayed in university for the Bible, and somehow God seems to have ended up tying these passions together in ways that we can reap the benefits of in his book, Statistics & Faith. In this conversation, Jason patiently allows me to ramble through my half-formed thoughts on the inundation of stats in our world, and he helps me not only understand the nature of stats better, he also helps me see how they can help Christians better understand their world. We talk about measuring the likelihood that a prayer is answered, the dangers of eugenics, why David’s census was such a big deal… it’s a wild ride, so (unless you’re faint of heart), hop in! (if you’d prefer to watch rather than listen, look below or on YouTube)chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Personal Background01:21 - Academic Journey and Dual Degrees04:25 - Statistics and Faith: The Intersection of Disciplines07:31 - The Evolution of Statistics10:39 - Understanding Statistics: Definitions and Applications13:15 - The Dark History of Eugenics and Statistics16:29 - The Role of Statistics in Society19:24 - Engaging with Statistics: Critical Thinking and Application29:39 - The Role of Statistics in Technology32:25 - The Impact of Values on Decision Making35:13 - Statistics Through a Christian Lens39:45 - Understanding Misuse of Statistics44:46 - The Intersection of Faith and Statistics50:04 - Intercessory Prayer and Statistical Analysis53:58 - The Limitations of Data in Human Experience keywords:statistics, faith, data literacy, biblical worldview, truth, eugenics, scientific revolution, data analysis, Christian ethics, information literacylinks:Jason Wilson - https://www.biola.edu/directory/people/jason-wilsonStatistics & Faith - https://www.ivpress.com/statistics-and-faithMath Is Music (article) - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280114347_Math_is_Music_Statistics_is_Literature Get full access to Marc Jolicoeur (aka Jolly Thoughts) at marcjolicoeur.substack.com/subscribe