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Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics

Bayesian Statistics, a definition

Statistics is primarily concerned with the analysis of data, either to assist in the appreciation of some underlying mechanism, or to reach effective decisions. In both cases, some uncertainty resides in the situation and the statistician's tasks are both to reduce this uncertainty and to explain it clearly. Problems of this type occur throughout all the physical, social and other sciences. One way of looking at statistics stems from the appreciation that all uncertainty must be described by probability: that probability is the only sensible language for a logic that deals with all degrees of uncertainty, and not just with the extremes of truth and falsity. This is called Bayesian Statistics. Decision-making is embraced by introducing a utility function, itself probability-based, and then maximizing expected utility. Bayesian statistics is designed to handle all situations where uncertainty is found. Since some uncertainty is present in most aspects of life, it is held that Bayesian statistics should be appreciated and used by everyone. It is the logic of contemporary society. It is 'common sense reduced to calculation.'

For an elementary, college level, introduction to Bayesian Statistics, see, for example, Bernardo (2003) Bayesian Statistics, an article written for the UNESCO Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS).

The Valencia Meetings

Every four years since 1979, the University of Valencia, Spain, has sponsored meetings devoted to Bayesian Statistics, the Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics. The published proceedings are listed below. The tremendous number of citations generated by them underscores their scientific relevance. The numbers attending have dramatically increased and include not only specialist statisticians but also others whose work has uncertainty as an important ingredient.

  1. J. M. Bernardo, M. H. DeGroot, D. V. Lindley and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1980).
    Bayesian Statistics. Valencia: University Press.
    Full text available at (better quality, not searchable) Valencia1.pdf or (lesser quality, searchable) Valencia1.pdf
  2. J. M. Bernardo, M. H. DeGroot, D. V. Lindley and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1985). Bayesian Statistics 2. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
    Full text available at Valencia2.pdf
  3. J. M. Bernardo, M. H. DeGroot, D. V. Lindley and A. F. M. Smith (eds).(1988).
    Bayesian Statistics 3. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  4. J. M. Bernardo, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1992).
    Bayesian Statistics 4. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  5. J. M. Bernardo, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1996).
    Bayesian Statistics 5. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  6. J. M. Bernardo, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1999).
    Bayesian Statistics 6. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    Contents available at Valencia6Contents.pdf
  7. J. M. Bernardo, M. J. Bayarri, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid, D. Heckerman, A. F. M. Smith and M. West (eds). (2003).
    Bayesian Statistics 7. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    Preface and contents available at Valencia7Contents.pdf
  8. J. M. Bernardo, M. J. Bayarri, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid, D. Heckerman, A. F. M. Smith and M. West (eds). (2007).
    Bayesian Statistics 8. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
    Preface and contents available at Valencia8Contents.pdf 
  9. J. M. Bernardo, M. J. Bayarri, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid, D. Heckerman, A. F. M. Smith and M. West (eds). (2011).
    Bayesian Statistics 9. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (in press)
    Preface and contents available at Valencia9Contents.pdf 

    10. For details on the origin and development of the Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics, click The Valencia Meetings.pdf

    The last Valencia Meeting

    Co-sponsored by the Universitat de València (UV) and by the International Society for Bayesian Analysis (ISBA), the 9th Valencia International Meeting on Bayesian Statistics and the 2010 World Meeting of the International Society for Bayesian Analysis were jointly held in Benidorm (Alicante, Spain) from June 3rd to June 8th, 2010.

    As previously announced, Valencia 9 has been the last of the Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics. In the future, Bayesians will have a World Meeting organized by ISBA every two years. The next two venues will be Kyoto (Japan) in 2012, and Cancún (Mexico) in 2014.

    Valencia 9 Proceedings

    Bayesian Statistics 9, the Proceedings of Ninth Valencia International Conference on Bayesian Statistics, is being printed by Oxford University Press. (ISBN 9780199694587). This consist of the set of the 23 invited papers, followed by their invited discussions, any further discussions submitted in writing after the meeting, and a rejoinder from the author(s). As in the past, the members of the Scientific Committee acted as a panel of editors. The Preface and the Contents available at Valencia9Contents.pdf 

    José M. Bernardo Home page Bayesian Mailing List
    Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics.
    Departamento de Estadística e I.O., Facultad de Matemáticas,
    Universitat de València, 46100-Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.