Bertrand's Paradox and the Maximum Entropy Principle. (18th May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shackel, Nicholas; Rowbottom, Darrell P.
• Is Part Of: Philosophy and phenomenological research. Volume 101:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 505
• Page End: 523
• Publication Date: 2019-05-18
• Subjects: Philosophy -- Periodicals; Phenomenology -- Periodicals; 100
• DOI: 10.1111/phpr.12596
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-8205

Abstract

Abstract : An important suggestion of objective Bayesians is that the maximum entropy principle can replace a principle which is known to get into paradoxical difficulties: the principle of indifference. No one has previously determined whether the maximum entropy principle is better able to solve Bertrand's chord paradox than the principle of indifference. In this paper I show that it is not. Additionally, the course of the analysis brings to light a new paradox, a revenge paradox of the chords, that is unique to the maximum entropy principle.