Bayesian Modeling and Computation in Python

Bayesian Modeling and Computation in Python
Author: Osvaldo A. Martin
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 420
Release: 2021-12-28
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1000520048

Bayesian Modeling and Computation in Python aims to help beginner Bayesian practitioners to become intermediate modelers. It uses a hands on approach with PyMC3, Tensorflow Probability, ArviZ and other libraries focusing on the practice of applied statistics with references to the underlying mathematical theory. The book starts with a refresher of the Bayesian Inference concepts. The second chapter introduces modern methods for Exploratory Analysis of Bayesian Models. With an understanding of these two fundamentals the subsequent chapters talk through various models including linear regressions, splines, time series, Bayesian additive regression trees. The final chapters include Approximate Bayesian Computation, end to end case studies showing how to apply Bayesian modelling in different settings, and a chapter about the internals of probabilistic programming languages. Finally the last chapter serves as a reference for the rest of the book by getting closer into mathematical aspects or by extending the discussion of certain topics. This book is written by contributors of PyMC3, ArviZ, Bambi, and Tensorflow Probability among other libraries.

Handbook of Approximate Bayesian Computation

Handbook of Approximate Bayesian Computation
Author: Scott A. Sisson
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 679
Release: 2018-09-03
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1439881510

As the world becomes increasingly complex, so do the statistical models required to analyse the challenging problems ahead. For the very first time in a single volume, the Handbook of Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) presents an extensive overview of the theory, practice and application of ABC methods. These simple, but powerful statistical techniques, take Bayesian statistics beyond the need to specify overly simplified models, to the setting where the model is defined only as a process that generates data. This process can be arbitrarily complex, to the point where standard Bayesian techniques based on working with tractable likelihood functions would not be viable. ABC methods finesse the problem of model complexity within the Bayesian framework by exploiting modern computational power, thereby permitting approximate Bayesian analyses of models that would otherwise be impossible to implement. The Handbook of ABC provides illuminating insight into the world of Bayesian modelling for intractable models for both experts and newcomers alike. It is an essential reference book for anyone interested in learning about and implementing ABC techniques to analyse complex models in the modern world.

Probability and Bayesian Modeling

Probability and Bayesian Modeling
Author: Jim Albert
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 553
Release: 2019-12-06
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1351030132

Probability and Bayesian Modeling is an introduction to probability and Bayesian thinking for undergraduate students with a calculus background. The first part of the book provides a broad view of probability including foundations, conditional probability, discrete and continuous distributions, and joint distributions. Statistical inference is presented completely from a Bayesian perspective. The text introduces inference and prediction for a single proportion and a single mean from Normal sampling. After fundamentals of Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithms are introduced, Bayesian inference is described for hierarchical and regression models including logistic regression. The book presents several case studies motivated by some historical Bayesian studies and the authors’ research. This text reflects modern Bayesian statistical practice. Simulation is introduced in all the probability chapters and extensively used in the Bayesian material to simulate from the posterior and predictive distributions. One chapter describes the basic tenets of Metropolis and Gibbs sampling algorithms; however several chapters introduce the fundamentals of Bayesian inference for conjugate priors to deepen understanding. Strategies for constructing prior distributions are described in situations when one has substantial prior information and for cases where one has weak prior knowledge. One chapter introduces hierarchical Bayesian modeling as a practical way of combining data from different groups. There is an extensive discussion of Bayesian regression models including the construction of informative priors, inference about functions of the parameters of interest, prediction, and model selection. The text uses JAGS (Just Another Gibbs Sampler) as a general-purpose computational method for simulating from posterior distributions for a variety of Bayesian models. An R package ProbBayes is available containing all of the book datasets and special functions for illustrating concepts from the book. A complete solutions manual is available for instructors who adopt the book in the Additional Resources section.

Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy V

Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy V
Author: Eric D. Feigelson
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 544
Release: 2012-08-15
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 146143520X

This volume contains a selection of chapters based on papers to be presented at the Fifth Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy Symposium. The symposium will be held June 13-15th at Penn State University. Modern astronomical research faces a vast range of statistical issues which have spawned a revival in methodological activity among astronomers. The Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy V conference will bring astronomers and statisticians together to discuss methodological issues of common interest. Time series analysis, image analysis, Bayesian methods, Poisson processes, nonlinear regression, maximum likelihood, multivariate classification, and wavelet and multiscale analyses are all important themes to be covered in detail. Many problems will be introduced at the conference in the context of large-scale astronomical projects including LIGO, AXAF, XTE, Hipparcos, and digitized sky surveys.

Bayesian Data Analysis, Third Edition

Bayesian Data Analysis, Third Edition
Author: Andrew Gelman
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 677
Release: 2013-11-01
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1439840954

Now in its third edition, this classic book is widely considered the leading text on Bayesian methods, lauded for its accessible, practical approach to analyzing data and solving research problems. Bayesian Data Analysis, Third Edition continues to take an applied approach to analysis using up-to-date Bayesian methods. The authors—all leaders in the statistics community—introduce basic concepts from a data-analytic perspective before presenting advanced methods. Throughout the text, numerous worked examples drawn from real applications and research emphasize the use of Bayesian inference in practice. New to the Third Edition Four new chapters on nonparametric modeling Coverage of weakly informative priors and boundary-avoiding priors Updated discussion of cross-validation and predictive information criteria Improved convergence monitoring and effective sample size calculations for iterative simulation Presentations of Hamiltonian Monte Carlo, variational Bayes, and expectation propagation New and revised software code The book can be used in three different ways. For undergraduate students, it introduces Bayesian inference starting from first principles. For graduate students, the text presents effective current approaches to Bayesian modeling and computation in statistics and related fields. For researchers, it provides an assortment of Bayesian methods in applied statistics. Additional materials, including data sets used in the examples, solutions to selected exercises, and software instructions, are available on the book’s web page.

Algorithmic Learning in a Random World

Algorithmic Learning in a Random World
Author: Vladimir Vovk
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2005-03-22
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9780387001524

Algorithmic Learning in a Random World describes recent theoretical and experimental developments in building computable approximations to Kolmogorov's algorithmic notion of randomness. Based on these approximations, a new set of machine learning algorithms have been developed that can be used to make predictions and to estimate their confidence and credibility in high-dimensional spaces under the usual assumption that the data are independent and identically distributed (assumption of randomness). Another aim of this unique monograph is to outline some limits of predictions: The approach based on algorithmic theory of randomness allows for the proof of impossibility of prediction in certain situations. The book describes how several important machine learning problems, such as density estimation in high-dimensional spaces, cannot be solved if the only assumption is randomness.

Likelihood-Free Methods for Cognitive Science

Likelihood-Free Methods for Cognitive Science
Author: James J. Palestro
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 136
Release: 2018-02-07
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 3319724258

This book explains the foundation of approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), an approach to Bayesian inference that does not require the specification of a likelihood function. As a result, ABC can be used to estimate posterior distributions of parameters for simulation-based models. Simulation-based models are now very popular in cognitive science, as are Bayesian methods for performing parameter inference. As such, the recent developments of likelihood-free techniques are an important advancement for the field. Chapters discuss the philosophy of Bayesian inference as well as provide several algorithms for performing ABC. Chapters also apply some of the algorithms in a tutorial fashion, with one specific application to the Minerva 2 model. In addition, the book discusses several applications of ABC methodology to recent problems in cognitive science. Likelihood-Free Methods for Cognitive Science will be of interest to researchers and graduate students working in experimental, applied, and cognitive science.

Bayesian Core: A Practical Approach to Computational Bayesian Statistics

Bayesian Core: A Practical Approach to Computational Bayesian Statistics
Author: Jean-Michel Marin
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2007-02-06
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 0387389792

This Bayesian modeling book provides the perfect entry for gaining a practical understanding of Bayesian methodology. It focuses on standard statistical models and is backed up by discussed real datasets available from the book website.

Towards Bayesian Model-Based Demography

Towards Bayesian Model-Based Demography
Author: Jakub Bijak
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 277
Release: 2021-12-09
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 303083039X

This open access book presents a ground-breaking approach to developing micro-foundations for demography and migration studies. It offers a unique and novel methodology for creating empirically grounded agent-based models of international migration – one of the most uncertain population processes and a top-priority policy area. The book discusses in detail the process of building a simulation model of migration, based on a population of intelligent, cognitive agents, their networks and institutions, all interacting with one another. The proposed model-based approach integrates behavioural and social theory with formal modelling, by embedding the interdisciplinary modelling process within a wider inductive framework based on the Bayesian statistical reasoning. Principles of uncertainty quantification are used to devise innovative computer-based simulations, and to learn about modelling the simulated individuals and the way they make decisions. The identified knowledge gaps are subsequently filled with information from dedicated laboratory experiments on cognitive aspects of human decision-making under uncertainty. In this way, the models are built iteratively, from the bottom up, filling an important epistemological gap in migration studies, and social sciences more broadly.

Large-Scale Inverse Problems and Quantification of Uncertainty

Large-Scale Inverse Problems and Quantification of Uncertainty
Author: Lorenz Biegler
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 403
Release: 2011-06-24
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1119957583

This book focuses on computational methods for large-scale statistical inverse problems and provides an introduction to statistical Bayesian and frequentist methodologies. Recent research advances for approximation methods are discussed, along with Kalman filtering methods and optimization-based approaches to solving inverse problems. The aim is to cross-fertilize the perspectives of researchers in the areas of data assimilation, statistics, large-scale optimization, applied and computational mathematics, high performance computing, and cutting-edge applications. The solution to large-scale inverse problems critically depends on methods to reduce computational cost. Recent research approaches tackle this challenge in a variety of different ways. Many of the computational frameworks highlighted in this book build upon state-of-the-art methods for simulation of the forward problem, such as, fast Partial Differential Equation (PDE) solvers, reduced-order models and emulators of the forward problem, stochastic spectral approximations, and ensemble-based approximations, as well as exploiting the machinery for large-scale deterministic optimization through adjoint and other sensitivity analysis methods. Key Features: Brings together the perspectives of researchers in areas of inverse problems and data assimilation. Assesses the current state-of-the-art and identify needs and opportunities for future research. Focuses on the computational methods used to analyze and simulate inverse problems. Written by leading experts of inverse problems and uncertainty quantification. Graduate students and researchers working in statistics, mathematics and engineering will benefit from this book.