Lauren Kennedy writes:
I’ve noticed that statistics (or at least applied statistics) has this nice ability to talk about uncertainty without it being viewed as undesirable. Stan Con had that atmosphere and I think it just makes everyone so much more willing to debug, discuss and generate new ideas.
Indeed, in statistics I’ve seen fierce disputes, but I don’t typically see people trying to dodge criticism or attack people who point out errors in their work. I’d like to think that one reason for this productive style of handling dissent is that uncertainty is baked into our way of thinking.
P.S. Lauren writes of Jazz, pictured above: “Her claim to fame is that she can open two of four door styles present in the houses she’s lived in.”