Traders Laboratory - View Single Post - Trading: Art or Science
View Single Post
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 09-08-2007, 07:30 PM
mea mea is offline
mea has no status.

 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 16
Thanks: 1
Thanked 4 Times in 1 Post
Re: Trading: Art or Science

Plesase refer to answers sections.

Quote:
View Post
I believe trading is far more an art than a science.

Answer: I disagree.

For one thing, if trading were a science, then we should all be able to enter the same trade at the same time, and exit at the same time, getting identical results.

Answer: Correct

We all know that just isn’t so.

Answer: Incorrect

Yet if trading were scientific, we should be able to get identical results by doing the same thing.

Answer: Correct

I believe such expectation describes the “scientific method.”

Answer: Correct

In addition, if trading were scientific, we should be able to come up with a “get rich” formula that would work all the time.

Answer: Both correct and incorrect

We could then all retire and never have to work again.

Answer: possible

We all know this isn’t so either.

Answer: you mean, you believe it isn't so.

When we, as traders, make a trading decision, most of the time we do not fully know why we are making that decision.

Answer: Incorrect

You look at a market, you think about taking a trade in that market, and at some point you pull the trigger. You have thought of dozens of things in the time interval leading up to your entry. If I were to ask you, "Exactly why are you buying what you are, or why are you selling what you are?" you would probably not be able to give an accurate answer.

Answer: Incorrect

You may be able to give a few reasons, but it will most likely not be the full answer.

Answer: Incorrect


A lot of your decision to enter is subconscious.

Answer: Incorrect

You do not really know why you entered, especially if you are day trading. To that extent it is more an art than a science, because you cannot fully demonstrate why you are doing what you are doing.

Answer: Incorrect

But you could say, "I fully know what I'm doing. I am taking the trade because I am following the signals of my method or system."

Answer: Correct

Wonderful, you have just proved my point.

Answer: Incorrect

When you are blindly trading signals from a method or system, you truly don't know why you are taking the trade.

Answer: Incorrect

You are essentially acting like a robot,

Answer: correct

pre-programmed to follow signals whether or not they make sense.

Answer: Science has proven them to "make sense" or be successful at least 85-90%.

I am not disparaging trading that way.

Answer: Yes, you are. Since you cannot figure it out, you try and find ways in your brain to prove it incorrect.

If a method or system produces winning results, then what you are doing is following a statistically proven plan.

Answer: Correct

All methods and all systems are based on statistics.

Answer: Correct.

The odds on any single trade are never more than 50% win or lose.

Answer: Incorrect

However, the probability for a succession of trades is quite another story.

Answer: ok, what's your point?

If you are trading a method that wins seven out of ten times that you enter, and the method has produced a loser three or four times in a row, then the probability for a successful trade increases each time you enter the market.

Answer: Incorrect

Sooner or later, over a series of trades, you are going to have the result of seven winners against 3 losers.

Answer: Incorrect, science has proven a system to more profitable than not, regardless of number of trades or any particular ratio you intend to use.

That is statistically valid; however, it is not exactly rocket science.

Answer: Incorrect, it is scientifically proven.

You will have proven that trading is an art — the art of following a statistically valid plan.
Answer: Incorrect, science has proven trading can and should be scientific.

In conclusion, art as a method of trading, is guessing and gambling. I don't do either. Thus, I never gamble at casinos. As the odds are in the houses favor, unless your a professional gambler with a scientifically proven "edge" or advantage over them. Hence, the reason a choose to trade, as I'm the house, and the odds are in my favor which were proven scientifically.

Reply With Quote