Randomness | 
 enlarge | Author: Deborah J. Bennett
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $17.00
Buy New: $5.68
You Save: $11.32 (67%)
New (21) Used (12) from $4.45
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 507645
Media: Paperback
Pages: 256
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 6.9 x 5.4 x 0.7
ISBN: 0674107462
Dewey Decimal Number: 519.2
EAN: 9780674107465
Publication Date: October 1, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Good Condition, Dispatched from UK, delivery time 10 to 12 Working days
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Amazon.com Review
"Chance governs all," said Milton, but he was writing about hell, not statistical probability. In the modern world, we assume that Milton's hell is everywhere--that is, that fate is best described in terms of statistics, odds, risks, and randomness. But most people, even many scientists, find probability difficult to understand and often counter to common sense. Mathematician Deborah Bennett looks at the history of statistics, games of chance and the casting of lots, the "Monty Hall" problem, and sources of random numbers. "Every day we can see evidence that the human species does not yet have a very highly developed probabilistic sense." With more books like Bennett's, we may in time become better at it--chances are. --Mary Ellen Curtin
Product Description
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. In our modern world, 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 even today, few people 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 time.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 A Great First Book on Probability October 14, 2000
James M. Cargal (Montgomery, AL USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Professor Bennett's book does many things well. In its short space it can not do each fully, but nonetheless, she does an excellent coverage of history, philosophy, and applications. Although this is not the ideal book for learning to do probability, I suspect many students would find it helpful. As she herself demonstrates if you have not studied probability, you are doomed to misunderstand it even if you are otherwise mathematically sophisticated. Consequently, this book is ideal as an introduction to the subject for people at all levels. (For those who want to learn to do probability calculations, I would recommend two books. If you have not had calculus you might try the book by Samuel Goldberg. For those with calculus, I would suggest either the book "Probability for Engineers and Scientists" by R. W. Hamming or the book "Introduction to Probability Models" by Sheldon Ross.)
Probability from a popular and historical perspective July 7, 2003
Il Bruce
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Like some previous reviewers, I read "Randomness" because of references in Nicholas Taleb's book "Fooled by Randomness." Although Taleb focused on the last chapter, "Paradoxes in Probability," the bulk of Bennett's book is a popular history and development of probability theory from scientific, mathematical and philosophical perspectives. Although not as full of puzzles like the "Monte Hall" problem as expected, the unintuitive nature of determining probabilities is illustrated quite well by going over the intellectual development of the field. If you want an understanding of probability and why it is often so hard, "Randomness" is a great place to start.
The Science of Randomness! May 10, 2008
Sylviastel
I believe that Dr. Bennett's book, Randomness, helps explain the science of it to the novice learner. Randomness is quite a science even though the results can differ from time to time. If you are in Atlantic City or Las Vegas, the science of randomness can help explain the roll of the dice. This book is interesting and easily read for those who are not so keen on mathematics like myself. Bennett's writing is to the audience and not at it which is essential in reading a book by this mathematician and college professor. Mathematics is not one of my favorite subjects but I recommend this book strongly to college bound students or anybody interested in broadening their minds to understanding the situation of random events and circumstances. Not everything can be explained by science, then there is randomness.
Superb January 24, 2000
D. R. Pitts (Fairfield, CA United States)
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
I throughly Enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone,a s an introduction to the subject
Brilliant !!! December 3, 2001
Franco Arda (Switzerland)
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
"Human species does not have a very highly developed probabilistic sense": a thought that has been haunting me for years... This small and beautiful book gives the reader a fantastic insight into the history of randomness, the philosophy, and some of the biggest mistakes humans tend to make. After reading the book and somebody tells you that you have a 95% chance of being affected by illness XYZ, you will remember having read RANDOMNESS...
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