Studies in the history of probability and statistics, L: Karl Pearson and the Rule of Three

Abstract

Karl Pearson’s role in the transformation that took the 19th century statistics of Laplace and Gauss into the modern era of 20th century multivariate analysis is examined from a new point of view. By viewing Pearson’s work in the context of a motto he adopted from Charles Darwin, a philosophical theme is identified in Pearson’s statistical work, and his three major achievements are briefly described.