The Emergence of Probability: A Philosophical Study of Early Ideas about Probability, Induction and Statistical InferenceHistorical records show that there was no real concept of probability in Europe before the mid-seventeenth century, although the use of dice and other randomizing objects was commonplace. Ian Hacking presents a philosophical critique of early ideas about probability, induction, and statistical inference and the growth of this new family of ideas in the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. Hacking invokes a wide intellectual framework involving the growth of science, economics, and the theology of the period. He argues that the transformations that made it possible for probability concepts to emerge have constrained all subsequent development of probability theory and determine the space within which philosophical debate on the subject is still conducted. First published in 1975, this edition includes an introduction that contextualizes his book in light of developing philosophical trends. Ian Hacking is the winner of the Holberg International Memorial Prize 2009. |
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The Emergence of Probability: A Philosophical Study of Early Ideas about ... Ian Hacking Limited preview - 2006 |
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Common terms and phrases
aleatory annuities Arbuthnot arithmetic Bayes Bemoulli’s called Cardano certainty chapter chiefly coin concept of evidence concept of probability confirm conjecture credibility definition degree of belief demonstration Descartes dice distinction doctrine doctrine of chances efficient causes emergence of probability epistemic probability epistemological equally possible equally probable equipossibility estimator event example expectation experiment fact figure final find finite first fit frequency Galileo gamble games of chance Graunt Hence Hudde Hume Hume’s Huygens ideas inductive logic inference infinite influence internal evidence Jacques Bernoulli knowledge L. J. Savage Laplace Leibniz London lottery mathematics matter Méré modern Moivre nature notion observed opinion outcomes Paracelsus Pascal philosophical Port Royal Port Royal Logic probabilism probabilistic probability theory problem of induction propensity proposition published question random reasoning Renaissance Roannez Royal Society sceptical problem scientific significance signs statistical sufficient testimony things Thomas Bayes thought wager Wilkins Witt word wrote