Randomness

Randomness Academia:

Randomness is a lack of order, purpose, cause, or predictability in non-scientific parlance. A random process is a repeating process whose outcomes follow no describable deterministic pattern, but follow a probability distribution.

The term is often used in statistics to signify well defined statistical properties, such as lack of bias or correlation. Monte Carlo Methods, which rely on random input, are important techniques of computational science. Random selection is an official method to resolve tied elections in some jurisdictions, and is even an ancient method of divination, as in tarot, the I Ching, and bibliomancy.

Randomness in science

Many scientific fields are concerned with randomness:

* Algorithmic probability
* Chaos theory
* Cryptography
* Game theory
* Information theory
* Pattern recognition
* Probability theory
* Quantum mechanics
* Statistics
* Statistical mechanics

While the magical community may take the credit for certain occurrences; attributed to magic - the fact remains that there is randomness in the universe. This statement is not to take away from the belief in 'faith-based' theories, but to get perspective on what you think about randomness.

Tags: randomness

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Amethyst on April 3, 2008 at 2:57am: Can I add being a sociologist. I love them to death, but at the same time, they have to have an answer for all three "classified" aspects. I kind of think of them as having to have an answer for all occasions!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by CelticDao on April 3, 2008 at 7:40am: "..entropy is yummy.."

It's not just for breakfast any more!
Geez...I wrote a great poem about entropy...must have been back in 71, I guess. I wonder if Entropy has taken it from the real world?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Peter (Stone Warlock) on April 3, 2008 at 9:00am: "Entropy", when used in the sense of both the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics.......
Oops! I think I just proved your point.
As a sociologist, would you not consider the situation more as one of "Getting the last word in"?
(I think I just did it again).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amethyst on April 11, 2008 at 7:55pm: Entropy", when used in the sense of both the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics.......
Oops! I think I just proved your point.
As a sociologist, would you not consider the situation more as one of "Getting the last word in"?
(I think I just did it again).

Nope..look below you here...LOL!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by SIN on April 3, 2008 at 9:38am: The complexity of randomness

Let's say, when a blacksmith is forging an 'article' of immense complexity he needs to swing his hammer......... CRASH!

He hits it in slightly different places each time.... AT RANDOM. He tries and tries to hit it ""exactly"" in the same place but can only manage ""approximately""......

AND there you have it; a complex machine out of randomness...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pavlor on April 12, 2008 at 4:29am: Randomness? I believe we are all here (inception then born) out of complete acts of randomness; we don't need scientific mumbo-jumbo to explain that. I'm reading a book at the moment about the Mutiny on the Bounty and the reason there are people living on Pitcairn Island today is because one guy (Fletcher Christian) was thirsty and took one coconut from provisions, cracked it open and drank from it - without even thinking. The book I am reading was penned because of this. I am writing this post because of it. All from one singular act of randomness...; ▶ Reply to This