Krzysztof Burdzy: University of Washington, Seattle

The least interesting philosophical theory of probability ever (but at least it makes sense)

I will present a new way to look at the scientific laws of probability. I will argue that:

(i) The existing philosophy of probability is a complete intellectual failure.

(ii) The two most popular philosophical theories of probability formalize

only those beliefs that were never disputed.

(iii) The non-formalized parts of probability are swept under the rug of absurdities.

(iv) Even the justifications of the non-controversial beliefs are nonsensical.

You can watch the event video below.

Math Lovers Forum at MSRI: Dr. Krzysztof Burdzy on “The least interesting philosophical theory of probability ever” from MSRI on Vimeo.

Krzysztof Burdzy (University of Washington, Seattle) received a doctoral degree in Statistics in 1984 from the University of California, Berkeley. After postdoctoral appointments at the University of California, San Diego, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and Purdue University, he joined the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1988. His honors include an American Mathematical Society Centennial Research Fellowship, the Rollo Davidson Prize, Fellowships of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and the American Mathematical Society, the Wacław Sierpiński Medal, Membership of the Washington State Academy of Sciences, and the Carver Medal of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. Recently he served as the chief editor of the Annals of Probability. He has co-authored over 150 research papers and published several books, including two books on philosophy of probability.