Anthropic Bias Anthropic Bias
Studies in Philosophy

Anthropic Bias

Observation Selection Effects in Science and Philosophy

    • $59.99
    • $59.99

Publisher Description

Anthropic Bias explores how to reason when you suspect that your evidence is biased by "observation selection effects"--that is, evidence that has been filtered by the precondition that there be some suitably positioned observer to "have" the evidence. This conundrum--sometimes alluded to as "the anthropic principle," "self-locating belief," or "indexical information"--turns out to be a surprisingly perplexing and intellectually stimulating challenge, one abounding with important implications for many areas in science and philosophy.

There are the philosophical thought experiments and paradoxes: the Doomsday Argument; Sleeping Beauty; the Presumptuous Philosopher; Adam & Eve; the Absent-Minded Driver; the Shooting Room.

And there are the applications in contemporary science: cosmology ("How many universes are there?", "Why does the universe appear fine-tuned for life?"); evolutionary theory ("How improbable was the evolution of intelligent life on our planet?"); the problem of time's arrow ("Can it be given a thermodynamic explanation?"); quantum physics ("How can the many-worlds theory be tested?"); game-theory problems with imperfect recall ("How to model them?"); even traffic analysis ("Why is the 'next lane' faster?").

Anthropic Bias argues that the same principles are at work across all these domains. And it offers a synthesis: a mathematically explicit theory of observation selection effects that attempts to meet scientific needs while steering clear of philosophical paradox.

GENRE
Nonfiction
RELEASED
2013
October 11
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
240
Pages
PUBLISHER
Taylor & Francis
SELLER
Taylor & Francis Group
SIZE
1.9
MB
Time's Arrow and Archimedes' Point Time's Arrow and Archimedes' Point
1997
Many Worlds? Many Worlds?
2010
The Logic of Scientific Discovery The Logic of Scientific Discovery
2005
Theory and Reality Theory and Reality
2021
An Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic An Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic
2001
Charles Peirce's Theory of Scientific Method Charles Peirce's Theory of Scientific Method
2018
Superintelligence Superintelligence
2014
Deep Utopia Deep Utopia
2024
Global Catastrophic Risks Global Catastrophic Risks
2008
Superinteligência: Caminhos, perigos, estratégias Superinteligência: Caminhos, perigos, estratégias
2018
Superintelligenza Superintelligenza
2018
Superintelligence Superintelligence
2024
The Culture of Confession from Augustine to Foucault The Culture of Confession from Augustine to Foucault
2010
Risk, Ambiguity and Decision Risk, Ambiguity and Decision
2015
The Rights of Woman as Chimera The Rights of Woman as Chimera
2006
Art as Abstract Machine Art as Abstract Machine
2014
Thought Experiment Thought Experiment
2014
Emmanuel Levinas Emmanuel Levinas
2004