English Explanatory Dictionary

Cromwell's rule

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. A rule stating that the use of prior probabilities of 0 or 1 should be avoided, except when applied to statements that are logically true or false, so as to leave room for the possibility that something very unlikely is in fact the case.

Word forms

Cromwell's rule

Etymology

Named by statistician Dennis Lindley, in reference to Oliver Cromwell, who wrote in 1650: "I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible that you may be mistaken."

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