Book Mention -- Willful Ignorance

Just finished Willful Ignorance, the Mismeasure of Uncertainty by Herbert I Weisberg, cr 2014, 452 pages.  This is not a review, just a mention, but it was, in the end, gladly read. The book can be roughly characterized as going to school on the history, philosophy, meaning(s), lacunae, and implications of our modern conception of probability theory.  It was also written by a neighbor of one of my retirement-quant interlocutors, Francois Gadenne. From Amazon's description (I am not an affiliate, btw):

Through a series of colorful stories about great thinkers and the problems they chose to solve, the author traces the historical evolution of probability and explains how statistical methods have helped to propel scientific research. However, the past success of statistics has depended on vast, deliberate simplifications amounting to willful ignorance, and this very success now threatens future advances in medicine, the social sciences, and other fields.Limitations of existing methods result in frequent reversals of scientific findings and recommendations, to the consternation of both scientists and the lay public.

Willful Ignorance: The Mismeasure of Uncertainty exposes the fallacy of regarding probability as the full measure of our uncertainty. The book explains how statistical methodology,though enormously productive and influential over the past century,is approaching a crisis. The deep and troubling divide between qualitative and quantitative modes of research, and between research and practice, are reflections of this underlying problem.The author outlines a path toward the re-engineering of data analysis to help close these gaps and accelerate scientific discovery. 

Or maybe it is pithier and more efficient to quote Mr Weisberg himself:

"...probability is not destiny"

But you'll have to read to find out why.