The general mathematics and logical foundations for statistical inference: geometric, algebraic, and topological symmetries that arise naturally in the solution to the inference problem, including rigorous comparison of the bayesian and frequentist approaches, and the group theoretic considerations of invariance (algebraic and logical symmetry), both on the sample space as well as on the parameter space (and both either implicit or manifest) that must be taken into account in the analysis. Unusual for the development, but fundamental to the inherent logic of such considerations, the finite-finite case is given special attention in respect of both sample space and parameter space.