Do Dice Play God?: The Mathematics of Uncertainty - Hardcover
by Ian Stewart
$29.99
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Languages:EnglishPublisher:Basic BooksISBN-13:9781541699472ISBN-10:1541699475UPC:9781541699472Book Category:MathematicsBook Subcategory:Applied, Calculus, Differential EquationsSize:9.20 x 6.30 x 1.20 inchesWeight:0.9502Product ID:SCQS00SX9F
A celebrated mathematician explores how math helps us make sense of the unpredictable
We would like to believe we can know things for certain. We want to be able to figure out who will win an election, if the stock market will crash, or if a suspect definitely committed a crime. But the odds are not in our favor. Life is full of uncertainty --- indeed, scientific advances indicate that the universe might be fundamentally inexact --- and humans are terrible at guessing. When asked to predict the outcome of a chance event, we are almost always wrong.
Thankfully, there is hope. As award-winning mathematician Ian Stewart reveals, over the course of history, mathematics has given us some of the tools we need to better manage the uncertainty that pervades our lives. From forecasting, to medical research, to figuring out how to win Let's Make a Deal, Do Dice Play God? is a surprising and satisfying tour of what we can know, and what we never will.
We would like to believe we can know things for certain. We want to be able to figure out who will win an election, if the stock market will crash, or if a suspect definitely committed a crime. But the odds are not in our favor. Life is full of uncertainty --- indeed, scientific advances indicate that the universe might be fundamentally inexact --- and humans are terrible at guessing. When asked to predict the outcome of a chance event, we are almost always wrong.
Thankfully, there is hope. As award-winning mathematician Ian Stewart reveals, over the course of history, mathematics has given us some of the tools we need to better manage the uncertainty that pervades our lives. From forecasting, to medical research, to figuring out how to win Let's Make a Deal, Do Dice Play God? is a surprising and satisfying tour of what we can know, and what we never will.
Languages:EnglishPublisher:Basic BooksISBN-13:9781541699472ISBN-10:1541699475UPC:9781541699472Book Category:MathematicsBook Subcategory:Applied, Calculus, Differential EquationsSize:9.20 x 6.30 x 1.20 inchesWeight:0.9502Product ID:SCQS00SX9F
Ian Stewart is emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick. His recent books include Calculating the Cosmos, Significant Figures, In Pursuit of the Unknown, and Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures. He is a fellow of the Royal Society. He lives in Coventry, UK
Publisher: Basic Books
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