Fall 2002 Seminar Series - November 7, 2002
University of Minnesota
School of Statistics
College of Liberal Arts

Interactive Computing for Coherent Probability Assessment

James M. Dickey
School of Statistics
University of Minnesota

Thursday, November 7, 2002
4:00 PM, 115 Ford Hall
Minneapolis, East Bank Campus
Social at 3:30 PM, 300 Ford Hall

Abstract

     A generalization of Bruno de Finetti's fundamental theorem of probability is adapted for the interactive assessment of coherent probabilities, subjective or estimative. The method is open-ended -- no predefined sample space, revision tolerant, accepts imprecise inputs (intervals), linear inequalities, and conditional probabilities and expectations. An open-source computer program will be demonstrated. It is coded in Perl to allow on-the-fly construction of subroutines for evolving user input of the relations on new events and random quantities.