Frigg, Roman (2014) Chance and Determinism. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Determinism and chance seem to be irreconcilable opposites: either something is chancy or it is deterministic but not both. Yet there are processes which appear to square the circle by being chancy and deterministic at once, and the appearance is backed by well-confirmed scientific theories such as statistical mechanics which also seem to provide us with chances for deterministic processes. Is this possible, and if so how? In this essay I discuss this question for probabilities as they occur in the empirical sciences, setting aside metaphysical questions in connection with free will, divine intervention and determinism in history.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Frigg, Roman r.p.frigg@lse.ac.uk
Keywords:	Probability, chance, determinism
Subjects:	General Issues > Determinism/Indeterminism
Depositing User:	Roman Frigg
Date Deposited:	19 Dec 2014 17:29
Last Modified:	19 Dec 2014 17:29
Item ID:	11219
Subjects:	General Issues > Determinism/Indeterminism
Date:	2014
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11219

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