From Cosmos to Chaos The Science of Unpredictability

by Coles, Peter

• ISBN13: 9780199588145
• ISBN10: 0199588147
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-09-17
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Cosmology has undergone a revolution in recent years. The exciting interplay between astronomy and fundamental physics has led to dramatic revelations, including the existence of the dark matter and the dark energy that appear to dominate our cosmos. But these discoveries only reveal themselves through small effects in noisy experimental data. Dealing with such observations requires the careful application of probability and statistics. But it is not only in the arcane world of fundamental physics that probability theory plays such an important role. It has an impact in many aspects of our everyday life, from the law courts to the lottery. Why then do so few people understand probability? And why do so few people understand why it is so important for science? Why do so many people think that science is about absolute certainty when, at its core, it is actually dominated by uncertainty? This book attempts to explain the basics of probability theory, and illustrate their application across the entire spectrum of science.

Author Biography

Professor Peter Coles is Chair in Theoretical Astrophysics at Cardiff University, UK.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. viii
Probable Nature	p. 1
The Logic of Uncertainty	p. 7
Lies, Damned Lies, and Astronomy	p. 31
Bayesians Versus Frequentists	p. 48
Randomness	p. 71
From Engines to Entropy	p. 95
Quantum Roulette	p. 115
Believing the Big Bang	p. 138
Cosmos and its Discontents	p. 161
Life, the Universe and Everything	p. 180
Summing Up	p. 199
Index	p. 213
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