Ronald Fisher
Ronald Fisher
#### Full Name and Common Aliases
Ronald Aylmer Fisher was commonly known as R.A. Fisher.
#### Birth and Death Dates
February 17, 1890 - July 29, 1962
#### Nationality and Profession(s)
English mathematician, statistician, evolutionary biologist, eugenicist, and geneticist.
#### Early Life and Background
Ronald Aylmer Fisher was born in East Finchley, London, England. His father, Gerald Balfour Fisher, was a barrister who later became a judge, while his mother, Margaret Hobhouse Fisher, came from an intellectual family of Unitarians. Fisher's early life was marked by a love for nature and mathematics. He spent much time outdoors, collecting insects, and developed a strong interest in science.
#### Major Accomplishments
Fisher is widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century. His work had significant impacts on genetics, evolutionary biology, statistics, and philosophy. Some of his key contributions include:
The Development of Modern Statistics: Fisher made significant contributions to statistical theory, including the concept of sufficiency, ancillary statistics, and fiducial inference.
The Design of Experiments: Fisher introduced the randomized controlled trial (RCT) as a gold standard in scientific research. His design of experiments approach revolutionized the field of experimental design.
Genetic Theory: Fisher made significant contributions to our understanding of genetic variation, population genetics, and evolutionary theory.
#### Notable Works or Actions
Some of Fisher's notable works include:
_The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection_ (1930) - a groundbreaking book that laid the foundation for modern evolutionary theory.
Fisher information: A concept in statistics that measures the amount of information about a parameter contained in a sample.
#### Impact and Legacy
Ronald Fisher's work has had far-reaching impacts across various fields. His contributions to statistical theory, experimental design, and genetic theory have influenced generations of scientists and researchers. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1929 and received numerous honors for his contributions.
#### Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Fisher's quotes are widely cited due to their insight into scientific methodology and philosophy. His thoughts on the importance of experimentation, the nature of probability, and the relationship between science and society continue to inspire scientists and philosophers today.
"To consult the statistician after an event has occurred is like locking the stable after the horse has bolted." (This quote highlights the importance of planning experiments carefully.)
* "The logic of scientific inquiry is that, in principle, it can lead us infallibly from facts to conclusions." (This quote reflects Fisher's confidence in the power of science to uncover truth.)
Fisher's legacy extends beyond his scientific contributions. He was a pioneer in promoting the use of statistics and experimentation in various fields, including medicine, agriculture, and social sciences. His work continues to inspire new generations of scientists and researchers seeking to understand the natural world.
Quotes by Ronald Fisher
(Coining phrase "null hypothesis") In relation to any experiment we may speak of this hypothesis as the "null hypothesis," and it should be noted that the null hypothesis is never proved or established, but is possibly disproved, in the course of experimentation. Every experiment may be said to exist only in order to give the facts a chance of disproving the null hypothesis.
If ... we choose a group of social phenomena with no antecedent knowledge of the causation or absence of causation among them, then the calculation of correlation coefficients, total or partial, will not advance us a step toward evaluating the importance of the causes at work.
The statistician cannot excuse himself from the duty of getting his head clear on the principles of scientific inference, but equally no other thinking man can avoid a like obligation.
If one in twenty does not seem high enough odds, we may, if we prefer it, draw the line at one in fifty (the 2 per cent. point), or one in a hundred (the 1 per cent. point). Personally, the writer prefers to set a low standard of significance at the 5 per cent. point, and ignore entirely all results which fail to reach this level. A scientific fact should be regarded as experimentally established only if a properly designed experiment rarely fails to give this level of significance.
The more highly adapted an organism becomes, the less adaptable it is to any new change.
After all, it is a common weakness of young authors to put too much into their papers.
Although no explanation can be expected to be satisfactory, it remains a possibility among others that Mendel was deceived by some assistant who knew too well what was expected. This possibility is supported by independent evidence that the data of most, if not all, of the experiments have been falsified so as to agree closely with Mendel's expectations.
the so-called co-efficient of heritability, which I regard as one of those unfortunate short-cuts, which have often emerged in biometry for lack of a more thorough analysis of the data.