Probability And Randomness

The book covers basic concepts such as random experiments, probability axioms, conditional probability, and counting methods, single and multiple random variables (discrete, continuous, and mixed), as well as moment-generating functions, characteristic functions, random vectors, and inequalities; limit theorems and convergence; introduction to Bayesian and classical statistics; random processes including processing of random signals, Poisson processes, discrete-time and continuous-time Markov chains, and Brownian motion; simulation using MATLAB and R.

This concise introduction to probability theory is written in an informal tutorial style with concepts and techniques defined and developed as necessary. Examples, demonstrations, and exercises are used to explore ways in which probability is motivated by, and applied to, real life problems in science, medicine, gaming and other subjects of interest. It assumes minimal prior technical knowledge and is suitable for students taking introductory courses, those needing a working knowledge of probability theory and anyone interested in this endlessly fascinating and entertaining subject.

"Creating a rigorous mathematical theory of randomness is far from being complete, even in the classical case. Interrelation of Classical and Quantum Randomness rectifies this and introduces mathematical formalisms of classical and quantum probability and randomness with brief discussion of their interrelation and interpretational and foundational issues. The book presents the essentials of classical approaches to randomness, enlightens their successes and problems, and then proceeds to essentials of quantum randomness. Its wide-ranging and comprehensive scope makes it suitable for researchers in mathematical physics, probability and statistics at any level"--

Many of the problems that engineers face involve randomly varying phenomena of one sort or another. However, if characterized properly, even such randomness and the resulting uncertainty are subject to rigorous mathematical analysis. Taking into account the uniquely multidisciplinary demands of 21st-century science and engineering, Random Phenomena: Fundamentals of Probability and Statistics for Engineers provides students with a working knowledge of how to solve engineering problems that involve randomly varying phenomena. Basing his approach on the principle of theoretical foundations before application, Dr. Ogunnaike presents a classroom-tested course of study that explains how to master and use probability and statistics appropriately to deal with uncertainty in standard problems and those that are new and unfamiliar. Giving students the tools and confidence to formulate practical solutions to problems, this book offers many useful features, including: Unique case studies to illustrate the fundamentals and applications of probability and foster understanding of the random variable and its distribution Examples of development, selection, and analysis of probability models for specific random variables Presentation of core concepts and ideas behind statistics and design of experiments Selected "special topics," including reliability and life testing, quality assurance and control, and multivariate analysis As classic scientific boundaries continue to be restructured, the use of engineering is spilling over into more non-traditional areas, ranging from molecular biology to finance. This book emphasizes fundamentals and a "first principles" approach to deal with this evolution. It illustrates theory with practical examples and case studies, equipping readers to deal with a wide range of problems beyond those in the book. About the Author: Professor Ogunnaike is Interim Dean of Engineering at the University of Delaware. He is the recipient of the 2008 American Automatic Control Council's Control Engineering Practice Award, the ISA's Donald P. Eckman Education Award, the Slocomb Excellence in Teaching Award, and was elected into the US National Academy of Engineering in 2012.

Fooled by Randomness is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision-making in a world we don’t understand. The other books in the series are The Black Swan, Antifragile, Skin in the Game, and The Bed of Procrustes. Fooled by Randomness is the word-of-mouth sensation that will change the way you think about business and the world. Nassim Nicholas Taleb–veteran trader, renowned risk expert, polymathic scholar, erudite raconteur, and New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan–has written a modern classic that turns on its head what we believe about luck and skill. This book is about luck–or more precisely, about how we perceive and deal with luck in life and business. Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skill–the world of trading–Fooled by Randomness provides captivating insight into one of the least understood factors in all our lives. Writing in an entertaining narrative style, the author tackles major intellectual issues related to the underestimation of the influence of happenstance on our lives. The book is populated with an array of characters, some of whom have grasped, in their own way, the significance of chance: the baseball legend Yogi Berra; the philosopher of knowledge Karl Popper; the ancient world’s wisest man, Solon; the modern financier George Soros; and the Greek voyager Odysseus. We also meet the fictional Nero, who seems to understand the role of randomness in his professional life but falls victim to his own superstitious foolishness. However, the most recognizable character of all remains unnamed–the lucky fool who happens to be in the right place at the right time–he embodies the “survival of the least fit.” Such individuals attract devoted followers who believe in their guru’s insights and methods. But no one can replicate what is obtained by chance. Are we capable of distinguishing the fortunate charlatan from the genuine visionary? Must we always try to uncover nonexistent messages in random events? It may be impossible to guard ourselves against the vagaries of the goddess Fortuna, but after reading Fooled by Randomness we can be a little better prepared. Named by Fortune One of the Smartest Books of All Time A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year

From the ancients' first readings of the innards of birds to your neighbor's last bout with the state lottery, humankind has put itself into the hands of chance. Today life itself may be at stake when probability comes into play--in the chance of a false negative in a medical test, in the reliability of DNA findings as legal evidence, or in the likelihood of passing on a deadly congenital disease--yet as few people as ever understand the odds. This book is aimed at the trouble with trying to learn about probability. A story of the misconceptions and difficulties civilization overcame in progressing toward probabilistic thinking, Randomness is also a skillful account of what makes the science of probability so daunting in our own day. To acquire a (correct) intuition of chance is not easy to begin with, and moving from an intuitive sense to a formal notion of probability presents further problems. Author Deborah Bennett traces the path this process takes in an individual trying to come to grips with concepts of uncertainty and fairness, and also charts the parallel path by which societies have developed ideas about chance. Why, from ancient to modern times, have people resorted to chance in making decisions? Is a decision made by random choice fair? What role has gambling played in our understanding of chance? Why do some individuals and societies refuse to accept randomness at all? If understanding randomness is so important to probabilistic thinking, why do the experts disagree about what it really is? And why are our intuitions about chance almost always dead wrong? Anyone who has puzzled over a probability conundrum is struck by the paradoxes and counterintuitive results that occur at a relatively simple level. Why this should be, and how it has been the case through the ages, for bumblers and brilliant mathematicians alike, is the entertaining and enlightening lesson of Randomness.

This is a book of elementary probability theory that includes a chapter on algorithmic randomness. It rigorously presents definitions and theorems in computation theory, and explains the meanings of the theorems by comparing them with mechanisms of the computer, which is very effective in the current computer age. Random number topics have not been treated by any books on probability theory, only some books on computation theory. However, the notion of random number is necessary for understanding the essential relation between probability and randomness. The field of probability has changed very much, thus this book will make and leave a big impact even to expert probabilists. Readers from applied sciences will benefit from this book because it presents a very proper foundation of the Monte Carlo method with practical solutions, keeping the technical level no higher than 1st year university calculus. Contents: Mathematics of Coin TossingMathematical ModelRandom NumberLimit TheoremMonte Carlo MethodInfinite coin TossesRandom Number: Recursive FunctionKolmogorov Complexity and Random NumberLimit Theorem: Bernoulli's TheoremLaw of Large NumbersDe Moivre–Laplace's TheoremCentral Limit TheoremMathematical StatisticsMonte Carlo Method: Monte Carlo Method as GamblingPseudorandom GeneratorMonte Carlo IntegrationFrom the Viewpoint of Mathematical StatisticsAppendices: Symbols and TermsBinary Numeral SystemLimit of Sequence and FunctionLimits of Exponential Function and LogarithmC Language Program Readership: First year university students to professionals. Keywords: Probability;Probability Theory;Randomness;Random Number;Pseudorandom Number;Monte Carlo Method;Monte Carlo IntegrationReview: Key Features: This is the first book that presents both probability theory and algorithmic randomness for from 1st year university students to experts. It is technically easy but worth reading for experts as wellThis book presents basic limit theorems with proofs that are not seen in usual probability textbooks; for readers should learn that a good solution is not always uniqueThis book rigorously treats the Monte Carlo method. In particular, it presents the random Weyl sampling, which produces pseudorandom numbers for the Monte Carlo integration that act complete substitutes for random numbers

The last few years have been characterized by a tremendous development of quantum information and probability and their applications, including quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum random generators. In spite of the successful development of quantum technology, its foundational basis is still not concrete and contains a few sandy and shaky slices. Quantum random generators are one of the most promising outputs of the recent quantum information revolution. Therefore, it is very important to reconsider the foundational basis of this project, starting with the notion of irreducible quantum randomness. Quantum probabilities present a powerful tool to model uncertainty. Interpretations of quantum probability and foundational meaning of its basic tools, starting with the Born rule, are among the topics which will be covered by this issue. Recently, quantum probability has started to play an important role in a few areas of research outside quantum physics—in particular, quantum probabilistic treatment of problems of theory of decision making under uncertainty. Such studies are also among the topics of this issue.