New York University 4 credits Mathematics
Chance is a common word whose meaning can vary, but which generally applies to situations involving a certain amount of unpredictability. How does it differ from fortune β or luck? Is it synonymous with randomness? We all try to increase our chances of success; how do such efforts involve taking or minimizing certain risks? If philosophical discussions about chance can be traced back to antiquity, probabilistic and statistical concepts appeared more recently in mathematics. Starting with gambling strategies, the theory now applies to the core of almost all scientific and technical fields, including statistical and quantum mechanics, chaotic dynamics, phylogenetics, sociology, economics, risk management, and quality control. Bringing together materials and questions from philosophy, mathematics, and other disciplines, this course provides a journey in the history of ideas. Students will investigate key concepts (including independence, expectation, confidence intervals, or tests), consider their applications to specific fields of science, and illustrate them by computer experiments. Readings include excerpts from Lucretius, Pascal, Hume, Laplace, Peirce, and Hacking. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: CORE STS.
Our subject experts help with essays, research papers, case studies, discussion posts, and capstone projects for these programs β written from scratch to your course requirements.
Program and course information is reproduced from each university's published academic catalog for informational purposes and may change. Always confirm current requirements with your university. We are an independent academic support service and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the universities listed.
Expert guides on essay writing, citation styles, study skills, and academic success.
View All Articles
Learn how to write a good research question for a paper. Narrow your topic, identify a research problem, and create a focused question with practical examples.
Learn how to choose a research topic you can actually research. Discover how to narrow broad ideas, find reliable sources, and develop a focused research question.
Learn how to cite sources in a research paper using APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, with in-text citation examples and reference-list tips.