Or perhaps statistics is reasoning generalised? E.T. Jayne's classic on this makes the case, I'd encourage reading the first chapter - https://www.amazon.com/Probability-Theory-Science-T-Jaynes/d....

I didn’t understand probability, until I read E T Jaynes Probability Theory: Logic of Science

It defines the base blocks of probability very, very slow. And never hand-waves anything. But it’s the “bayesian” view of probability; but it’s honestly the easier one to understand.

https://www.amazon.com/Probability-Theory-Science-T-Jaynes/d...

I think you might enjoy E.T. Jaynes

http://bayes.wustl.edu/

https://www.amazon.com/Probability-Theory-E-T-Jaynes/dp/0521...

The style reminds me of E.T. Jaynes' Probability Theory: The Logic of Science[0]. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

[0] http://www.amazon.com/Probability-Theory-The-Logic-Science/d...

Probability Theory: The Logic of Science

http://www.amazon.com/Probability-Theory-The-Logic-Science/d...

I might add that what made me understand these concepts is the writings of physicist and probability theorist E.T. Jaynes, especially his unpublished manuscripts: http://bayes.wustl.edu/etj/node2.html

I think if he would have been alive at the right time these would have been blog posts. Before reading them, I had taken an intro class in thermodynamics which at left me completely confused.

Read THE EVOLUTION OF CARNOT'S PRINCIPLE ( http://bayes.wustl.edu/etj/articles/ccarnot.pdf ) for incredible insights on how Carnot pioneered thermodynamics by trying to optimize steam engines.

Also if you think you dislike statistics and probabilities but you like math in general his book might change your mind: Probability Theory: The Logic of Science. Free draft: http://omega.albany.edu:8008/JaynesBook.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Probability-Theory-Science-T-Jaynes/dp...

In fact understanding his stance on probabilities, the mind projection fallacy in particular might be prerequisite to understand thermodynamics, the fundamental point being that entropy is not really directly a property of matter but more of a meta property that is about knowledge or information which is taken to mean correlations across aggregate matter.