Bayes without priors

Background and Objectives: Classical statistical inference has attained a dominant position in the expression and interpretation of empirical results in biomedicine. Although there have been critics of the methods of hypothesis testing, significance testing (P-values), and confidence intervals, these methods are used to the exclusion of all others. Methods: An alternative metaphor and inferential computation based on credibility is offered here. Results: It is illustrated in three datasets involving incidence rates, and its advantages over both classical frequentist inference and Bayesian inference, are detailed. Conclusion: The message is that for those who are unsatisfied with classical methods but cannot make the transition to Bayesianism, there is an alternative path. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.