How is it that an ML estimator might not be unique or consistent?

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Christian H Weiss says that:




In general, it is not clear if the ML estimators (uniquely) exist and if they are consistent.




Can someone explain what he means? Do we not generally know the shape of a log-likelihood function once we specify the probability distribution?










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    Christian H Weiss says that:




    In general, it is not clear if the ML estimators (uniquely) exist and if they are consistent.




    Can someone explain what he means? Do we not generally know the shape of a log-likelihood function once we specify the probability distribution?










    share|cite|improve this question























      up vote
      1
      down vote

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      up vote
      1
      down vote

      favorite











      Christian H Weiss says that:




      In general, it is not clear if the ML estimators (uniquely) exist and if they are consistent.




      Can someone explain what he means? Do we not generally know the shape of a log-likelihood function once we specify the probability distribution?










      share|cite|improve this question













      Christian H Weiss says that:




      In general, it is not clear if the ML estimators (uniquely) exist and if they are consistent.




      Can someone explain what he means? Do we not generally know the shape of a log-likelihood function once we specify the probability distribution?







      estimation maximum-likelihood consistency






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      Vykta Wakandigara

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          A multimodal likelihood function can have two modes of exactly the same value. In this case, the MLE may not be unique as there may two possible estimators that can be constructed by using the equation $partial l(theta; x) /partial theta = 0$.



          Example of such a likelihood from Wikipedia:



          Multimodal likelihood



          Here, see that there's no unique value of $theta$ that maximises the likelihood. The Wikipedia link also gives some conditions on the existence of unique and consistent MLEs although, I believe there are more (a more comprehensive literature search would guide you well).



          Edit: This link about MLEs, which I believe are lecture notes from Cambridge, lists a few more regularity conditions for the MLE to exist.



          You can find examples of inconsistent ML estimators in this CV question.






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            One example arises from rank deficiency. Suppose that you're conducting an OLS regression but your design matrix is not full rank. In this case, there are any number of solutions which obtain the maximum likelihood value.



            Another case arises in the MLE for binary logistic regression. Suppose that the regression exhibits separation; in this case, the likelihood does not have a well-defined maximum, in the sense that arbitrarily large coefficients monotonically increase the likelihood.






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              A multimodal likelihood function can have two modes of exactly the same value. In this case, the MLE may not be unique as there may two possible estimators that can be constructed by using the equation $partial l(theta; x) /partial theta = 0$.



              Example of such a likelihood from Wikipedia:



              Multimodal likelihood



              Here, see that there's no unique value of $theta$ that maximises the likelihood. The Wikipedia link also gives some conditions on the existence of unique and consistent MLEs although, I believe there are more (a more comprehensive literature search would guide you well).



              Edit: This link about MLEs, which I believe are lecture notes from Cambridge, lists a few more regularity conditions for the MLE to exist.



              You can find examples of inconsistent ML estimators in this CV question.






              share|cite|improve this answer


























                up vote
                2
                down vote













                A multimodal likelihood function can have two modes of exactly the same value. In this case, the MLE may not be unique as there may two possible estimators that can be constructed by using the equation $partial l(theta; x) /partial theta = 0$.



                Example of such a likelihood from Wikipedia:



                Multimodal likelihood



                Here, see that there's no unique value of $theta$ that maximises the likelihood. The Wikipedia link also gives some conditions on the existence of unique and consistent MLEs although, I believe there are more (a more comprehensive literature search would guide you well).



                Edit: This link about MLEs, which I believe are lecture notes from Cambridge, lists a few more regularity conditions for the MLE to exist.



                You can find examples of inconsistent ML estimators in this CV question.






                share|cite|improve this answer
























                  up vote
                  2
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  2
                  down vote









                  A multimodal likelihood function can have two modes of exactly the same value. In this case, the MLE may not be unique as there may two possible estimators that can be constructed by using the equation $partial l(theta; x) /partial theta = 0$.



                  Example of such a likelihood from Wikipedia:



                  Multimodal likelihood



                  Here, see that there's no unique value of $theta$ that maximises the likelihood. The Wikipedia link also gives some conditions on the existence of unique and consistent MLEs although, I believe there are more (a more comprehensive literature search would guide you well).



                  Edit: This link about MLEs, which I believe are lecture notes from Cambridge, lists a few more regularity conditions for the MLE to exist.



                  You can find examples of inconsistent ML estimators in this CV question.






                  share|cite|improve this answer














                  A multimodal likelihood function can have two modes of exactly the same value. In this case, the MLE may not be unique as there may two possible estimators that can be constructed by using the equation $partial l(theta; x) /partial theta = 0$.



                  Example of such a likelihood from Wikipedia:



                  Multimodal likelihood



                  Here, see that there's no unique value of $theta$ that maximises the likelihood. The Wikipedia link also gives some conditions on the existence of unique and consistent MLEs although, I believe there are more (a more comprehensive literature search would guide you well).



                  Edit: This link about MLEs, which I believe are lecture notes from Cambridge, lists a few more regularity conditions for the MLE to exist.



                  You can find examples of inconsistent ML estimators in this CV question.







                  share|cite|improve this answer














                  share|cite|improve this answer



                  share|cite|improve this answer








                  edited 1 hour ago

























                  answered 1 hour ago









                  InfProbSciX

                  3298




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                      up vote
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                      One example arises from rank deficiency. Suppose that you're conducting an OLS regression but your design matrix is not full rank. In this case, there are any number of solutions which obtain the maximum likelihood value.



                      Another case arises in the MLE for binary logistic regression. Suppose that the regression exhibits separation; in this case, the likelihood does not have a well-defined maximum, in the sense that arbitrarily large coefficients monotonically increase the likelihood.






                      share|cite|improve this answer
























                        up vote
                        1
                        down vote













                        One example arises from rank deficiency. Suppose that you're conducting an OLS regression but your design matrix is not full rank. In this case, there are any number of solutions which obtain the maximum likelihood value.



                        Another case arises in the MLE for binary logistic regression. Suppose that the regression exhibits separation; in this case, the likelihood does not have a well-defined maximum, in the sense that arbitrarily large coefficients monotonically increase the likelihood.






                        share|cite|improve this answer






















                          up vote
                          1
                          down vote










                          up vote
                          1
                          down vote









                          One example arises from rank deficiency. Suppose that you're conducting an OLS regression but your design matrix is not full rank. In this case, there are any number of solutions which obtain the maximum likelihood value.



                          Another case arises in the MLE for binary logistic regression. Suppose that the regression exhibits separation; in this case, the likelihood does not have a well-defined maximum, in the sense that arbitrarily large coefficients monotonically increase the likelihood.






                          share|cite|improve this answer












                          One example arises from rank deficiency. Suppose that you're conducting an OLS regression but your design matrix is not full rank. In this case, there are any number of solutions which obtain the maximum likelihood value.



                          Another case arises in the MLE for binary logistic regression. Suppose that the regression exhibits separation; in this case, the likelihood does not have a well-defined maximum, in the sense that arbitrarily large coefficients monotonically increase the likelihood.







                          share|cite|improve this answer












                          share|cite|improve this answer



                          share|cite|improve this answer










                          answered 1 hour ago









                          Sycorax

                          35.5k693175




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