Probabilistic Truth Approximation and Fixed Points

David Atkinson, Jeanne Peijnenburg*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

We use the method of fixed points to describe a form of probabilistic truth approximation which we illustrate by means of three examples. We then contrast this form of probabilistic truth approximation with another, more familiar kind, where no fixed points are used. In probabilistic truth approximation with fixed points the events are dependent on one another, but in the second kind they are independent. The first form exhibits a phenomenon that we call 'fading origins', the second one is subject to a phenomenon known as 'the washing out of the prior'. We explain that the two phenomena may seem very similar, but are in fact quite different.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4195–4216
JournalSynthese
Volume199
Early online date19-Dec-2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec-2021

Keywords

  • probability
  • truth approximation
  • fixed points
  • genetics

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