Coincidence 
Approaches from Mathematics and Computer Science

Rombuch 2023 as a PDF

What we call chance is the refuge of ignorance. 

- Baruch de Spinoza (1632–1677) 

 

With this year’s Rome Seminar, we aim to get to the bottom of a multifaceted concept: chance. “Random events” occur both within and outside of mathematics, but what do we actually mean by that? Is talk of chance merely a way to mask our ignorance? Or is there actually such a thing as “objective” chance—for example, within the framework of quantum theory—and what exactly is that? What must we, what should we, and what can we “leave to chance”? And are we ourselves, as if by fate, left to chance—perhaps even at its mercy? 
These questions only roughly delineate the field we intend to explore in the Rome seminar. More specifically, the following topics may also be addressed:

• To what extent is “unpredictable” chance “tamed” by probability theory and statistics (Ian Hacking)? How did this come about historically, and what consequences did it have—and continues to have—on living conditions and society?
• (How) can one generate “random numbers” on a computer and produce random events?
• How do other sciences deal with chance, disturbances, and noise?
• Are chance and determinism incompatible, or are they simply two sides of the same coin?
• Is chance merely a curse, or is it also an opportunity? What social function do (planned) random events—such as games of chance or lotteries—serve?

These and other topics will be addressed in the 2023 Rome Seminar, depending on the participants’ preferences. As always, this offers a unique opportunity to look beyond the boundaries of one’s own field of study. But it’s also about practicing presentation, rhetoric, and discussion in an academic context that normally pays little attention to these aspects. 

Over the course of the winter semester, we will first explore and develop the topic through shared reading, short introductory presentations, and discussions. By the end of December, each participant should have identified their own project. This project will ultimately be presented and discussed during the field trip to Rome (February 26 through March 5, 2023). Through a diverse accompanying program, we’ll also draw inspiration from places in the “Eternal City” that are otherwise inaccessible. 

A prerequisite for the seminar is a willingness to engage deeply with the subject matter; it is suitable for students starting in their first semester of study.

Even a blind chicken finds a grain of corn. 

- Proverb