Statistics 108 - Statistical Ethics and Institutions

This course will provide a rigorous presentation of ethics principles for statistics, focusing primarily—but not exclusively—on official (government) statistics. Ethics principles to be followed by the producers of statistics and by the diverse users of statistics will be clearly distinguished. We will discuss the ethical standards that should govern relationships between official statisticians and policy makers, researchers, the press, other institutions, and the broad public. We will investigate alternative views about such standards and how they are reflected in institutions. We will explore how the interplay of institutions (e.g., organizations, systems, laws, codes of professional ethics) and the broader sociopolitical culture affect the production of reliable, high quality official statistics. We will investigate the implications of statistical ethics for the proper place of official statistics within the government and the state, as well as within the global community, e.g., as a global public good Students will explore the implications of statistical ethics for the operation of national, regional, and international statistical systems, while becoming aware of the reality regarding such systems. We will also explore the ethical standards for nongovernment statistical practitioners and for their employers/clients. We will probe the metaethical philosophical approaches implicit in different understandings of statistical ethics, such as Platonic, Sophist, Consequentialist, Kantian and modern Relativist metaethical approaches. Students will gain a clear understanding of statistical ethics and institutions, develop capacity to assess the production of statistics, and identify areas for improvement. Examples from current and past events, case studies, readings from statistical practice and statistical laws, as well as discussion in class, within student group projects, and with the instructor will aim to provide a full appreciation of real-world applications. The course is open to majors as well as non-majors interested in statistical ethics and in the place and use of statistics in public policy as well as in various economic, political and social processes.

Limited to 30 students. Fall semester. Visiting Scholar Andreas Georgiou.

How to handle overenrollment: Preference is given to students who are Seniors and Juniors.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: term papers, in class final and midterm, group project and class presentation, problem sets, readings, class attendance and class discussion.