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The Challenge of Chance : A Multidisciplinary Approach from Science and the Humanities.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Landsman, Klaas.
Other Authors: van Wolde, Ellen.
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Cham : Springer International Publishing AG, 2016.
Edition:1st ed.
Series:The Frontiers Collection
Subjects:
Electronic books.
Online Access:Click to View
Table of Contents:
  • Intro
  • Contents
  • About the Editors
  • 1 Introduction
  • Abstract
  • 1 Contents of This Book: Addressing the Challenge
  • 2 A Transdisciplinary Perspective on Chance
  • Acknowledgement
  • 2 Conceptual and Historical Reflections on Chance (and Related Concepts)
  • Abstract
  • 1 Etymological Prelude
  • 1.1 Dice and Other Falling Objects
  • 1.2 Fortuna, Wheels and the Lottery
  • 1.3 Randomness and Reckoning with Fortune
  • 2 History
  • 2.1 Greek Origins
  • 2.2 Aristotle
  • 2.3 The Ancient Atomists
  • 2.4 On Divination and Providence
  • 2.5 Boethius
  • 2.6 Late Medieval Views on Chance
  • 2.7 Chance, Necessity and Design in a Mechanistic Universe
  • 2.8 Hume's Critique of the Argument from Design
  • 2.9 From Natural History to Darwinism
  • 2.10 Laplace's Determinism, Statistical Regularity and the New Physical Randomness
  • 3 A Conclusion ex negativo
  • References
  • The Mathematical Foundations of Randomness
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 What Is Randomness?
  • 3 Can Randomness Be Defined?
  • 4 Computability Theory
  • 5 Kolmogorov Complexity
  • 6 Martin-Löf Randomness
  • 7 Martingales
  • 8 Randomness and Provability
  • 9 Other Notions of Randomness
  • 10 Pseudorandom Number Generators and Complexity Theory
  • 11 Applications
  • References
  • 4 Randomness and the Madness of Crowds
  • Abstract
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Super-Humans Against Nature and the Rationality Assumption
  • 2.1 A Single Random Event
  • 2.2 Repeated Random Events
  • 2.3 Risk Preferences
  • 3 Super-Humans Against Super-Humans
  • 4 Humans Against Humans
  • 4.1 Bounded Rationality
  • 4.2 Beliefs
  • 4.3 Speculation
  • 5 The Madness of Crowds
  • 5.1 Luck Versus Skill
  • 5.2 No Free Lunch \varvec{\ne} the Price Is Right
  • 5.3 From Mispricing to Madness
  • 6 Conclusion
  • References
  • 5 Randomness and the Games of Science
  • Abstract
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Randomness in Science.
  • 3 The Likelihood of Irreproducible Research
  • 4 The Dialogue with the Critic
  • 5 Publishing
  • 6 Speaking About Uncertainty
  • References
  • 6 The Fine-Tuning Argument: Exploring the Improbability of Our Existence
  • Abstract
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Evidence for Fine-Tuning
  • 3 General Arguments
  • 4 Critiquing the Inference of Design from Fine-Tuning
  • 5 Critiquing the Inference of a Multiverse from Fine-Tuning
  • 6 Conclusion
  • Acknowledgement
  • References
  • 7 Chance in the Hebrew Bible: Views in Job and Genesis 1
  • Abstract
  • 1 The Prologue of the Book of Job: Chance as a Wager
  • 2 Dialogue in the Book of Job: Chance as Proof of Moral Balance
  • 3 God's Answer "Out of the Whirlwind"
  • 4 Chance in the Book of Job
  • 5 From Narrative to Philosophy
  • 6 From Philosophy Back to Narrative: Genesis 1
  • 7 Worldview in the Hebrew Bible
  • 8 Genesis 1:1-3
  • 9 The Framework of Non-Linearity in Genesis 1
  • 10 The Non-linear Arrangement in Genesis 1 and the Concept of Chance
  • 11 Conclusion: Views on Chance in Job and Genesis 1
  • Acknowledgments
  • References
  • 8 Happiness and Invulnerability from Chance: Western and Eastern Perspectives
  • Abstract
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Ancient Greek Philosophy as a Way of Life: The Pursuit of Happiness
  • 3 Immunising Against Luck: Ancient Greek Approaches
  • 4 A Christian Perspective: The Myth of the Fall
  • 5 The Asian Buddhist Perspective: Karma Rather than (Bad) Luck
  • 6 Protection Against Luck: West and East
  • References
  • 9 The Experience of Coincidence: An Integrated Psychological and Neurocognitive Perspective
  • Abstract
  • 1 Prelude
  • 2 Introduction
  • 3 The Psychology of Coincidence
  • 3.1 Cognitive Biases and Predictive Models
  • 3.2 Context and Model Adjustment
  • 3.3 Individual Differences and Precision
  • 4 Predictive Coding and Coincidence
  • 5 Conclusions
  • References.
  • 10 When Chance Strikes: Random Mutational Events as a Cause of Birth Defects and Cancer
  • Abstract
  • 1 Fascination
  • 2 Divinity and Sorcery
  • 3 Maternal Impressions
  • 4 Infections and Teratogens
  • 5 Inherited Factors
  • 6 De Novo Mutations in Human Genetic Disease
  • 7 The Randomness of Mutations
  • 8 Why Mutations Happen
  • 9 Can We Prevent Mutations?
  • 10 Accepting Risks
  • 11 Are Mutations a Necessary Part of Our Existence?
  • 12 Conclusion
  • References
  • 11 Chance, Variation and the Nature of Causality in Ecological Communities
  • Abstract
  • 1 Introduction: The Fascinating Complexity of Ecosystems
  • 2 Example 1: Explaining the Maintenance of Species Diversity
  • 2.1 Coexistence Theory: Species Differ in Niches
  • 2.2 Natural Enemies as Niche-Axes: The Janzen-Connell Hypothesis
  • 2.3 Coexistence Through Intransitive Competition and Rock-Paper-Scissor Games
  • 2.4 Tests with Bacterial Communities: Rock-Paper-Scissor Dynamics Is not Enough for Stable Coexistence
  • 2.5 Global Stability in Hyper-Diverse Plant Communities Consistent with Local Rock-Paper-Scissor Dynamics
  • 2.6 Global Stability Through Neutral Dynamics if Species Are Demographically Equal
  • 2.7 Coexistence Mechanisms May Result in Unpredictable Dynamics
  • 2.8 Conclusion: The Interplay Between Scale-Dependent Predictable and Unpredictable Patterns in Community Dynamics
  • 3 Example 2: Understanding Species Population Trends
  • 3.1 Species Survive in Metapopulations with a High Incidence of Chance Effects
  • 3.2 Farmland Birds: Understanding Population Trends
  • 3.3 Mastering Chance Effects at Local Scale to Explain Global Trends
  • 3.4 Understanding Causality: A Comparison with Epidemiology
  • 4 Epilogue
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
  • 12 The Size of History: Coincidence, Counterfactuality and Questions of Scale in History
  • Abstract.
  • 1 Introduction: Coincidence and Comparisons
  • 2 Contingency, Causality and Counterfactuality
  • 3 Coincidence and the Construction of a Clear Course of History
  • 4 Coincidence, Big History and Accidental Cause
  • 5 Coincidence and Cliodynamics
  • 6 Coincidence as an Interpretative Tool?
  • Acknowledgment
  • References
  • 13 Accidental Harm Under (Roman) Civil Law
  • Abstract
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Sources of Obligation Under Roman and Modern Law
  • 3 Accidental Harm Under Roman Tort Law and Subsequent Criticism
  • 4 Accidental Harm Under Roman Contract Law
  • 5 Accidental Harm in the Case of Negotiorum Gestio
  • 6 Other Meanings of 'Casus' in the Roman Sources
  • 7 Brief Interlude: 'Casus' Under Roman Criminal Law
  • 8 Accidental Harm Under Modern Private Law
  • 9 Concluding Observations
  • References
  • 14 Taming Chaos. Chance and Variability in the Language Sciences
  • Abstract
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 The Field
  • 3 Linguistic Typology: Chance and Variability in the Constitution of Languages
  • 3.1 L'arbitraire du signe
  • 3.2 Iconicity
  • 3.3 Dependencies
  • 4 Variationist Linguistics: Chance in Production and Perception
  • 5 Chance: Conundrum or Inherent Property?
  • References
  • Biographies
  • Titles in this Series.

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