Every day, we are faced with countless claims and persuasive messages. Most of those messages are trying to sell us something: Our toothbrush cleans better than others do, this new app reduces stress, ...

The entire Reinhart-Rogoff fiasco reminded me of my post from last year on how empirical evidence is overrated at times by a chart-happy blogosphere. Reading Nate Silver’s book gave me a better way of ...

Empirical modeling involves the development of models that explain, predict, or simulate a particular aspect of the world, rather than purely theoretical or abstract principles. Empirical modeling ...