Quantitude S1E14: Model Fit & The Curse of the Black Pearl
Feb 11, 2020
Patrick and Greg discuss model fit in structural equation models, compulsive counting, mashed potatoes, building model 747s, Jenga, Moses's tablet, the Pirate Code, demon conferences, and Roo Mates.
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Greg's Childhood Counting Rituals
- Greg Hancock is a compulsive counter since childhood and engages in rituals requiring symmetry.
- This ingrained love of order likely contributed to his affinity for quantitative methods.
Models Are Simplifications by Design
- A model is a simplified representation of a complex reality by design.
- All models are inherently wrong but aim to balance simplicity with fidelity to data.
Degrees of Freedom as Courage
- Multiple regression models fit data perfectly because they impose no restrictions and have zero degrees of freedom.
- Degrees of freedom measure the imposition of constraints, reflecting the courage of the modeler.