Theories of Probability: An Examination of Foundations

Terrence L. Fine

May 2014 · Academic Press

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Theories of Probability: An Examination of Foundations reviews the theoretical foundations of probability, with emphasis on concepts that are important for the modeling of random phenomena and the design of information processing systems. Topics covered range from axiomatic comparative and quantitative probability to the role of relative frequency in the measurement of probability. Computational complexity and random sequences are also discussed. Comprised of nine chapters, this book begins with an introduction to different types of probability theories, followed by a detailed account of axiomatic formalizations of comparative and quantitative probability and the relations between them. Subsequent chapters focus on the Kolmogorov formalization of quantitative probability; the common interpretation of probability as a limit of the relative frequency of the number of occurrences of an event in repeated, unlinked trials of a random experiment; an improved theory for repeated random experiments; and the classical theory of probability. The book also examines the origin of subjective probability as a by-product of the development of individual judgments into decisions. Finally, it suggests that none of the known theories of probability covers the whole domain of engineering and scientific practice. This monograph will appeal to students and practitioners in the fields of mathematics and statistics as well as engineering and the physical and social sciences.