Research Seminar in Decision and Action Theory: Jeremy Strasser (Australian National University)
Location: Ludwigstr. 31, ground floor, Room 021.
05.02.2025 at 10:00
Title:
What the Uniformity of Nature Could be
Abstract:
In A Treatise of Human Nature (1.3.6.4), Hume claims that we can give no compelling argument that nature is uniform—we must assume it. I am perfectly happy with this claim. But I think we should state our assumption about the uniformity of nature precisely and prove from it that certain inductive methods are accurate. One natural assumption is that the universe is governed by chancy laws that are invariant under time-shifts, an assumption known as time-stationarity. The mathematics of time-stationary processes is well developed. I apply this mathematics to an idealised model-universe and show that the assumption makes a specific method of induction optimally accurate.
The seminar will be held in person, but here is a Zoom link for remote participation:
https://lmu-munich.zoom.us/j/93279453658?pwd=MGRkZ1lOYTVtK2tleWVHbFZ4UFNzZz09