The Bayesian lens and Bayesian blinkers

I discuss the benefits of looking through the 'Bayesian lens' (seeking a Bayesian interpretation of ostensibly non-Bayesian methods), and the dangers of wearing 'Bayesian blinkers' (eschewing non-Bayesian methods as a matter of philosophical principle). I hope that the ideas may be useful to scientists trying to understand widely used statistical methods (including confidence intervals and p-values), as well as teachers of statistics and practitioners who wish to avoid the mistake of overemphasizing philosophy at the expense of practical matters.This article is part of the theme issue 'Bayesian inference: challenges, perspectives, and prospects'.

Automated summary

This article discusses the benefits of adopting a "Bayesian lens" approach to non-Bayesian methods and warns against the dangers of exclusively using Bayesian methods due to philosophical principles. It aims to help scientists, statistics teachers, and practitioners understand commonly used statistical methods and strike a balance between philosophy and practicality.