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arXiv 2604.22752stat.ME
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从物理到统计:通过最大熵获得指数族的一种简单途径

From Physics to Statistics: A Simple Route to Exponential Families via Maximum Entropy

University of Manchester(曼彻斯特大学)

Korbinian Strimmer

AI总结:

本文通过最大熵原理推导出指数族,无需复杂数学背景,展示了熵在统计学中的重要性。

摘要:

指数族构成了现代统计和机器学习的基础,但教科书很少以易于理解的方式从基础原理推导。尽管最小充分性和最大熵原理起源于物理,但它们常被视为技术性且需要高级先决条件。本文提供了一种简短、自包含的最大熵推导指数族的方法,操作简便,仅需基本的信息熵知识,避免了如约束优化等技术性内容。通过两种命题展示了这一方法:i) 以一般基为基准的指数族在给定期望的规范统计量下最大化信息熵;ii) 以均匀基为基准的指数族在相同约束下最大化标准信息熵。最大熵因此为指数族提供了原理性的基础,仅需最小的先决条件,突显了在统计学课程中教授熵的价值。

英文摘要:

Exponential families form the backbone of modern statistics and machine learning, but textbooks seldom derive them from first principles in an accessible way. Although minimal sufficiency and the principle of maximum entropy, originating in physics, provide core motivation, they are often presented as technical and requiring advanced prerequisites. Here, a short, self-contained derivation of exponential families based on maximum entropy is presented that is straightforward to carry out, requires only a modest background in information entropy, and avoids technicalities like constrained optimisation. Two propositions are demonstrated in this fashion: i) exponential families with a general base maximise information entropy with respect to that base subject to fixed expectations of canonical statistics, and ii) exponential families with a uniform base maximise standard information entropy under the same constraints. Maximum entropy therefore provides a principled foundation for exponential families with minimal prerequisites, highlighting the value of teaching entropy in statistics courses.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

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