Ten Great Ideas about Chance

Mathematically rigorous, yet also reasonably accessible; informative, yet fun and entertaining to read. Both students and faculty should find reading this to be a rewarding experience.--MAA Reviews This book will not increase your odds of winning at games of chance, but it will give you some greater understanding of why you lose.--Cosmos A great book for anyone who wants to understand some of the central tenets of probability, how they were discovered, and how they can be tamed in our day-to-day lives.--ZME Science Ten Great Ideas About Chance isn't just about 18th century philosophical arguments, World War II events or tests of expensive, hard-to-pronounce drugs. The book's ideas are as down to earth and as current as your busted bracket for NCAA Men's Basketball.--Herald Business Journal This compelling book is a welcome contribution to the slim body of recent works that popularize chance. It invites readers to the examples with ease, and it raises far-reaching, thought-provoking questions. I learned a huge amount of useful new information about probability theory and statistics from this book. --Joseph Mazur, author of Fluke: The Math and Myth of Coincidence Clear and precise, and at times pleasantly conversational, Ten Great Ideas about Chance does an excellent job of bringing together a broad array of ideas about probability, statistics, and the general problem of induction. --Steven N. Evans, University of California, Berkeley This wonderful book looks at both the nature of probability and the history of thinking on the subject, following a path that goes from coin-flipping machines to quantum physics via psychology and behavioral economics. It will fascinate general readers and stimulate constructive reflection in scientists who use probability. Outstanding! --Stephen Schaefer, London Business School One should add an eleventh great idea to Ten Great Ideas about Chance namely, for probabilist, statistician, and magician Persi Diaconis and philosopher of science Brian Skyrms to write a book about the subject! This fascinating book mingles the foundations of probability with history and philosophy, covering topics that include the uncertain and elusive notion of inference, and bringing forth a broad and powerful vision of concepts that should appeal to both specialists and general science readers. --Christian P. Robert, Universit Paris-Dauphine and University of Warwick There is something fundamentally paradoxical about probability theory, as a mathematical language for saying precisely what we do not know. In this book, an eminent philosopher and mathematician guide us through the resolution of these paradoxes, to offer a deeper understanding of how we can analyze problems of uncertainty in the world. --Roger Myerson, University of Chicago In this attractively written book, which is rigorous yet informal, Persi Diaconis and Brian Skyrms dispel the confusion about chance and randomness. They range from coin tosses to particle physics and show how chance and probability baffled the best minds for centuries. I cannot imagine a more accessible account of these deep and difficult ideas. --Jon Elster, Columbia University and Coll ge de France A terrific book. The authors explain 10 great ideas in probability, starting from their history and pursuing their philosophical implications.---Eric S. Rosenthal, Mathematics Magazine A very enriching journey. Your vision will be broadened assimilating all these issues and solutions as well as open problems from the early history of probability, game theory, financial markets, politics, thermodynamics, quantum theory and much much more.---Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathematical Society To anyone with an interest in probability or statistics, this is a book you must read. . . . [It] is far-ranging and can be read at many levels, from the novice to the expert. It is also thoroughly engaging, written in a conversational style with many examples and asides and an emphasis throughout on the people who have built the theory.---David M. Bressoud, The UMAP Journal The audience is quite specific, but for them it will be a gem. . . . I would recommend this to any student studying or having studied anything statistics related at university.---Jonathan Shock, Mathemafrica A volume that should be on every scientist's reading list.---Barb Kiser, Nature A historical and philosophical tour of major insights in the development of probability theory.---James Ryerson, The New York Times Book Review