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The Bias-Variance Dilemma of the Monte Carlo Method

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Book cover Artificial Neural Networks — ICANN 2001 (ICANN 2001)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 2130))

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Abstract

We investigate the setting in which Monte Carlo methods are used and draw a parallel to the formal setting of statistical inference. In particular, we find that Monte Carlo approximation gives rise to a bias-variance dilemma. We show that it is possible to construct a biased approximation scheme with a lower approximation error than a related unbiased algorithm.

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Mark, Z., Baram, Y. (2001). The Bias-Variance Dilemma of the Monte Carlo Method. In: Dorffner, G., Bischof, H., Hornik, K. (eds) Artificial Neural Networks — ICANN 2001. ICANN 2001. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2130. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44668-0_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44668-0_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-42486-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-44668-2

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