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Bayesian thought in early modern detective stories: Monsieur Lecoq, C. Auguste Dupin and Sherlock Holmes. (English) Zbl 1328.62052

Summary: This paper reviews the maxims used by three early modern fictional detectives: Monsieur Lecoq, C. Auguste Dupin and Sherlock Holmes. It find similarities between these maxims and Bayesian thought. Poe’s Dupin uses ideas very similar to Bayesian game theory. Sherlock Holmes’ statements also show thought patterns justifiable in Bayesian terms.

MSC:

62C10 Bayesian problems; characterization of Bayes procedures
62F15 Bayesian inference
62-03 History of statistics
01A55 History of mathematics in the 19th century

References:

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