Fiducial Inference and Decision Theory

Abstract

The majority of the statisticians concluded many decades ago that fiducial inference was nonsensical to them. Hannig et al. (2016) and others have, however, contributed to a renewed interest and focus. Fiducial inference is similar to Bayesian analysis, but without requiring a prior. The prior information is replaced by assuming a particular data generating equation. Berger (1985) explains that Bayesian analysis and statistical decision theory are in harmony. Taraldsen and Lindqvist (2013) show that fiducial theory and statistical decision theory also play well together. The purpose of this text is to explain and exemplify this together with recent mathematical results. 1