FanGraphs Audio: Dave Cameron Analyzes All Rational Actors
Episode 575
Dave Cameron is both (a) the managing editor of FanGraphs and (b) the guest on this particular edition of FanGraphs Audio, during which edition he presupposes that everyone is abiding by reason.
Don’t hesitate to direct pod-related correspondence to @cistulli on Twitter.
You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.
Audio after the jump. (Approximately 47 min play time.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Most RNGs are referred to as pseudo-random. The programmers use a formula with a seed number (often based on a clock) that generates a very large number from which they determine their pseudo-random number.
Indeed, and many exhibit bad statistical qualities when used to generate large quantities of random numbers (see the Wikipedia entry for a fairly approachable elaboration).
Though I enjoyed Cameron’s recursive RNG design: to get a random number, start with a list of numbers and pick one at random (doing so, of course, by generating a random number).
That said, there do exist hardware random number generators that generally rely on noise (thermal or electromagnetic) as an input, and (if designed and operated correctly) are considered true rather than pseudo RNGs, though in some sense they may not be.
One thing that is believed to be truly random is radioactive decay (for individual atoms; in large quantities they exhibit a predictable distribution — one result of which is the concept of “half-life”, and another is the technique of radiocarbon dating). That bothers some physicists (and philosophers), prompting Einstein’s quote that “God does not play dice with the universe.” (Yet all work since then suggests that his intuition was wrong: there are no “hidden variables” and not only does God play dice, he rolls them where we cannot see.)
Was just about to post the same remark. The math of randomness is a fascinating subject and true randomness is much harder to come by than you’d think.
A certain Chicago baseball writer could learn a thing or two from Mr. Cameron.
Would really love if Fangraphs made a dedicated Fangraphs Audio section on the front page. Would make finding old podcasts on mobile much easier.
There is….
They may be referring to the mobile version of the site.
Is there a mobile version? I’ve visited with multiple devices and mobile OSes and browsers and never seen one. The version I get on every mobile device has the dedicated audio section right where Mr. Well-Beered says it is.
I don’t specifically know for this site just that this is the answer 9 times in 10 when someone cannot find something on a website in 2015.
There is one, below “FanGraphs Essentials”
Did you enjoy Split, Carson Cistulli? I was there last summer. It was enjoyably weird.
A 6’10” hockey player might be “awkward” but such a thing is possible, given that Boston Bruins’ defenceman Zdeno Chára is 6’9″ (even before he puts on skates).