## Statistical Science

### Comment: Unreasonable Effectiveness of Monte Carlo

Art B. Owen

#### Abstract

There is a role for statistical computation in numerical integration. However, the competition from incumbent methods looks to be stiffer for this problem than for some of the newer problems being handled by probabilistic numerics. One of the challenges is the unreasonable effectiveness of the central limit theorem. Another is the unreasonable effectiveness of pseudorandom number generators. A third is the common $O(n^{3})$ cost of methods based on Gaussian processes. Despite these advantages, the classical methods are weak in places where probabilistic methods could bring an improvement.

#### Article information

Source
Statist. Sci., Volume 34, Number 1 (2019), 29-33.

Dates
First available in Project Euclid: 12 April 2019

Permanent link to this document
https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.ss/1555056027

Digital Object Identifier
doi:10.1214/18-STS676

Mathematical Reviews number (MathSciNet)
MR3938960

#### Citation

Owen, Art B. Comment: Unreasonable Effectiveness of Monte Carlo. Statist. Sci. 34 (2019), no. 1, 29--33. doi:10.1214/18-STS676. https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.ss/1555056027

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