Why learn about statistical thinking?

Undergirded by mathematics, but seated deeply in the real world of human life, statistical reasoning is both technical and creative. In the same way that a police detective uses technology and instinct to solve a homicide, a statistician relies on a strict set of mathematical and logical principles to tease out correlations between variables in the real world, constantly seeking to find evidence of an effect that can be reliably replicated. Knowing the rules by which the statistical game is played can make you a stronger consumer. Understanding the mathematics and logic of statistics will enable you to know how and when to be appropriately skeptical.