What Is Random?: Chance and Order in Mathematics and Life

by Edward J. Beltrami

In this fascinating book, mathematician Ed Beltrami takes a close enough look at randomness to make it mysteriously disappear. The results of coin tosses, it turns out, are determined from the start, and only our incomplete knowledge makes them look random. "Random" sequences of numbers are more elusive, but Godels undecidability theorem informs us that we will never know. Those familiar with quantum indeterminacy assert that order is an illusion, and that the world is fundamentally random. Yet randomness is also an illusion. Perhaps order and randomness, like waves and particles, are only two sides of the same (tossed) coin.

Genres: Nonfiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published August 13, 1999

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice summary of some of Chaitin and entropy and randomness.

[Wojtek Gawroński · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a fascinating, detailed, and engaging book ... for a handful of people.

Okay, maybe a bit more - but the truth is, that audience is extremely specific. People interested in niche math problems (related to statistics/probabilities), computer scientists (encoding and problem-solving), and people dealing with information technology/encoding on a daily basis.

For the rest - it will be arcane, impractical, or even useless.

[Khalid Alsulaimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book ❤😍