The Broken Dice, and Other Mathematical Tales of Chance - Softcover

Ekeland, Ivar

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226199924 ISBN 13: 9780226199924

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 1996

Synopsis

Ivar Ekeland extends his consideration of the catastrophe theory of the universe begun in his widely acclaimed Mathematics and the Unexpected, by drawing on rich literary sources, particularly the Norse saga of Saint Olaf, and such current topics as chaos theory, information theory, and particle physics.

"Ivar Ekeland gained a large and enthusiastic following with Mathematics and the Unexpected, a brilliant and charming exposition of fundamental new discoveries in the theory of dynamical systems. The Broken Dice continues the same theme, and in the same elegant, seemingly effortless style, but focuses more closely on the implications of those discoveries for the rest of human culture. What are chance and probability? How has our thinking about them been changed by the discovery of chaos? What are all of these concepts good for? . . . Ah, but, I mustn't give the game away, any more than I should if I were reviewing a detective novel. And this is just as gripping a tale. . . . Beg, borrow, or preferably buy a copy. . . . I guarantee you won't be disappointed."—Ian Stewart, Science

About this title

About the Author:

Ivar Ekeland is president of the Université Paris-Dauphine and founder of the Centre de recherche de mathématiques de la décision. Ekeland's other books includeMathematics and the Unexpected, also published by the University of Chicago Press.

Language Notes:

Text: English
Original Language: French

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0226199924
• ISBN 13: 9780226199924
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 190