The Logic of Chance, 3rd edition: An Essay on the Foundations and Province of the Theory of Probability, With Especial Reference to Its Logical Bearings and Its Application to Moral and Social Science and to StatisticsVenn, John
Philosophy
The Logic of Chance, 3rd edition: An Essay on the Foundations and Province of the Theory of Probability, With Especial Reference to Its Logical Bearings and Its Application to Moral and Social Science and to Statistics
Venn, John
Chance; Logic, Symbolic and mathematical; Probabilities; Science -- Methodology
23. One such example, of course, does not go far towards
establishing a theory. But the reader will bear in
mind that almost all our conduct tends towards the same
result; that it is not in betting only, but in every course of
action in which we have to count the events, that such a
numerical apportionment of our conduct is possible. Hence,
by the ordinary principles of association, it would appear
exceedingly likely that, not exactly a numerical condition of
mind, but rather numerical associations, become inseparably
connected with each particular event which we know to occur
in a certain proportion of times. Once in six times a die
gives ace; a knowledge of this fact, taken in combination
with all the practical results to which it leads, produces, one
cannot doubt, an inseparable notion of one-sixth connected
with each _single_ throw. But it surely cannot be called belief
to the amount of one-sixth; at least it admits neither of
justification nor explanation in these single cases, to which
alone the fractional belief, if such existed, ought to apply.
It is in consequence, I apprehend, of such association that
we act in such an unhesitating manner in reference to any
single contingent event, even when we have no expectation
of its being repeated. A die is going to be thrown up once,
and once only. I bet 5 to 1 against ace, not, as is commonly
asserted, because I feel one-sixth part of certainty in the
occurrence of ace; but because I know that such conduct
would be justified in the long run of such cases, and I apply
to the solitary individual the same rule that I should apply
to it if I knew it were one of a long series. This accounts
for my conduct being the same in the two cases; by association,
moreover, we probably experience very similar feelings
in regard to them both.
24. And here, on the view of the subject adopted in
this Essay, we might stop. We are bound to explain the
'measure of our belief' in the occurrence of a single event
when we judge solely from the statistical frequency with
which such events occur, for such a series of events was our
starting-point; but we are not bound to inquire whether in
every case in which persons have, or claim to have, a certain
measure of belief there must be such a series to which to
refer it, and by which to justify it. Those who start from
the subjective side, and regard Probability as the science of
quantitative belief, are obliged to do this, but we are free
from the obligation.
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