According to the lore, when Copernicus taught us that the Earth was not at the center of things he gave us the lesson that human beings have no special status in the universe. Thus, all anthropic principles are taken to be anti-Copernican, even by their proponents. Terrence Doody, Department of English Quantum Theory is weird. My talk is aimed at an audience with no physics background. The notion of probability is central to Quantum Theory.
Philosophy considers fundamental questions of the nature and meaning of chance.
But it falls upon statistical science to collect and analyze data to estimate risk, influence policy, and make decisions. Insurance provides a compelling case study for notions of fairness and subsidy. This talk will examine the notion of a fair game and consider its application in areas including decision making, social security, medical insurance, and exit polling. A deeper understanding of statistical modeling and evaluation would illuminate subsidies implicit in public policy and would sharpen political debate. A wine and cheese reception will follow each event.