Abrams, Marshall (2021) Pseudorandomness in Simulations and Nature. In: UNSPECIFIED.
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Abstract
Pseudorandom number generating algorithms play crucial roles in computer modeling and statistical modeling, but they have received little attention from philosophers of science. I revisit an argument that the success of practices in evolutionary biology using such algorithms in computer simulations provides evidence that evolutionary processes incorporate objective probabilities. I discuss the kind of stochasticity that pseudorandom number generators provide--what I call "pseudochance"--and argue that the argument from simulation practice, as well as other arguments, supports the view that evolutionary processes incorporate pseudochance. I suggest that similar arguments might be given in other domains of science.
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| Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED) | ||||||
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| Keywords: | probability, models, simulation, statistics, biology, evolution | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory Specific Sciences > Computer Science General Issues > Computer Simulation General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Probability/Statistics |
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| Depositing User: | Marshall Abrams | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 12 Nov 2021 04:05 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 12 Nov 2021 04:05 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 19834 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory Specific Sciences > Computer Science General Issues > Computer Simulation General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Probability/Statistics |
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| Date: | 9 November 2021 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/19834 |
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