FACTOID # 76: The United States puts 0.7 % of its population in Prison - a vastly higher percentage than any other nation.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

Encyclopedia > Ray Solomonoff

Ray Solomonoff (born 1926) invented the concept of algorithmic probability around 1960. Take a universal computer and randomly generate an input program. The program will generate some possibly infinite output.


The algorithmic probability of any given finite output prefix q is the sum of the probabilities of the programs that compute something starting with q.


Algorithmic probability is the main ingredient of Solomonoff's theory of inductive inference, the theory of prediction based on observations. Given a sequence of symbols -- which will come next? Solomonoff's theory provides an answer that is optimal in a certain sense.


Unlike Karl Popper's informal theory, Solomonoff's is mathematically sound.


Algorithmic probability is closely related to the concept of Kolmogorov complexity. In fact, Solomonoff was the first to prove the invariance theorem, which shows that it is not really important which computer we use.


  Results from FactBites:
 
Information Theory and Creationism: Algorithmic Information Theory (Chaitin, Solomonoff & Kolmogorov) (1194 words)
Information Theory and Creationism: Algorithmic Information Theory (Chaitin, Solomonoff and Kolmogorov)
A web site with numerous references and links (some expired) on the ideas of Kolmogorov and Solomonoff.
, Ray Solomonoff, and Andrei Kolmogorov developed a different view of information from that of Shannon.
Information Theory and Creationism: Algorithmic Information Theory (Chaitin, Solomonoff & Kolmogorov) (3567 words)
Our apologies, but you must have JavaScript enabled to view author contact information.
Kolmogorov, Chaitin, and Solomonoff independently came up with the idea of representing the complexity of a string based on its compressibility by representing it as a program.
Given a Universal Turing Machine U, the algorithmic information content, also called algorithmic complexity or Kolmogorov Complexity (KC) H(X) of string X is defined as the length of the shortest program p on U producing string X.
  More results at FactBites »

 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your location
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.