‘There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” I’m sure you’ve heard this most vile comment, which was popularized by Mark Twain, among others. This dastardly phrase impugns the reputation of statistics. The implication is that statistics can bolster a weak argument, or that statistics can be used to prove anything.

I’ve had enough of this expression, and here’s the rebuttal! In fact, I’ll make the case that statistics is not the problem, but rather the solution.

Mistakes can happen

First, let’s stipulate that an unscrupulous person can intentionally manipulate the results to favor unwarranted conclusions. Further, honest analysts can make honest mistakes because statistics can be tricky.

However, that does not mean that the field of statistics is to blame.

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