The statistical thinking promulgated by these statisticians is encapsulated as an
independent intellectual method. Its domain is the empirical enquiry cycle, but the
domainshouldalsobeextendedtoawayofthinkingaboutandperceivingthe
world. Statistical thinking goes beyond the domain of mathematics, which
statisticians use simply as a means to help them achieve their own ends. The nature
of statistical thinking is explained by these statisticians as noticing, understanding,
using, quantifying, explaining, and evaluating variation; thinking about the data
“literature”; capturing relevant data and measurements; summarizing and
representing the data; and taking account of uncertainty and data variability in
decision making.