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The Theory That Would Not Die

Friday, September 28, 1PM – 2PM
POB 6.304

Rebecca Morrison/Sharon Bertsch McGrayne

The idea of mathematicians and scientists fighting with religious-like zeal, unwavering stubbornness, and personal attacks probably brings to mind centuries-old battles such as those fought by Copernicus or Darwin. However, another such story took place much more recently, with plenty of drama, suspicion, egotism, and even tragedy. It is the story of Bayesian probability, a topic that has been a source of contention during our own lifetimes.

In this Forum, Rebecca Morrison will introduce a video presentation given by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne, author of "The Theory That Would Not Die: How Bayes' Rule Cracked the Enigma Code, Hunted Down Russian Submarines, and Emerged Triumphant from Two Centuries of Controversy". It is truly a fascinating historical account of a subject that affects or guides much of the research done in ICES today.

Hosted by Jesse Chan, James Martin