Although accredited by a great many people across a wide range of fields, the subjective interpretation of probability is still the target of skepticism and bitter criticism. In particular, it is accused of being unable to account for the objective meaning usually attached to probability in science, and of neglecting evidence that could support such a meaning. Its adoption in other contexts, for instance as applied in courts of justice, has also been opposed for similar reasons. This paper argues that criticism of subjective probability is largely motivated by misunderstanding. To support this claim, attention will be called to some aspects of Bruno de Finetti’s viewpoint that have by and large been neglected by the literature, and to Frank Plumpton Ramsey’s way of accounting for objective probability within the subjective theory, which has not received much attention either.
M.C. Galavotti (2018). Who is afraid of subjective probability?. Berlin/Boston : De Gruyter.
Who is afraid of subjective probability?
M. C. Galavotti
2018
Abstract
Although accredited by a great many people across a wide range of fields, the subjective interpretation of probability is still the target of skepticism and bitter criticism. In particular, it is accused of being unable to account for the objective meaning usually attached to probability in science, and of neglecting evidence that could support such a meaning. Its adoption in other contexts, for instance as applied in courts of justice, has also been opposed for similar reasons. This paper argues that criticism of subjective probability is largely motivated by misunderstanding. To support this claim, attention will be called to some aspects of Bruno de Finetti’s viewpoint that have by and large been neglected by the literature, and to Frank Plumpton Ramsey’s way of accounting for objective probability within the subjective theory, which has not received much attention either.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.