Anthropic Bias: Observation Selection Effects in Science and Philosophy

Bostrom, Nick (Author)

ISBN 10: 0415938589 / ISBN 13: 9780415938587

Published by Routledge, 2002

About this Item

1st edition. 224 pages. 9.00x6.25x0.75 inches. In Stock.

Seller Inventory # x-0415938589

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Anthropic Bias: Observation Selection Effects in Science and Philosophy
• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication Date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415938589
• ISBN 13: 9780415938587
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Brand New
• Weight: 0.5 kilograms

About this title

Synopsis

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.

About the Author

Nick Bostrom