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De natuur als tegenspeler

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  • D. van Dantzig

Abstract

Playing Against Nature. Human activity implies making decisions under partly unknown circumstances but backed by former experience. Modern theories of mathematical statistics enable us in certain cases to determine among all decisions under consideration those which have the greatest chance to lead to a given end. This is achieved by considering human activity as a combined game of brains and chance, with “nature” as a fictitious opponent. Though excessive mathematical difficulties are as a rule prohibitive for complete calculations, we nevertheless get a better idea of what the words “rational behaviour” stand for. In many cases, where a sufficient quantity of information in the form of statistical material is available, it is possible to arrive at concrete results. In particular this is the case when economic factors prevail; at the same time the statistical theory of testing hypotheses can be seen in a broader aspect. This paper, read at the Meeting of the “Vereniging voor Statistiek” on March 6, 1925, gives an elementary exposition of some of the principles of Wald's theory of Decision Functions and Von Neumann and Morgenstern's Theory of Games and Economic Behaviour.

Suggested Citation

  • D. van Dantzig, 1951. "De natuur als tegenspeler," Statistica Neerlandica, Netherlands Society for Statistics and Operations Research, vol. 5(5‐6), pages 149-159, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:stanee:v:5:y:1951:i:5-6:p:149-159
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9574.1951.tb00583.x
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