Algorithmic Randomness, Exchangeability, and the Principal Principle

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Barrett, Jeffrey A., Chen, Eddy Keming
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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author Barrett, Jeffrey A.
Chen, Eddy Keming
author_facet Barrett, Jeffrey A.
Chen, Eddy Keming
contents We introduce a framework uniting algorithmic randomness with exchangeable credences to address foundational questions in philosophy of probability and philosophy of science. To demonstrate its power, we show how one might use the framework to derive the Principal Principle -- the norm that rational credence should match known objective chance -- without circularity. The derivation brings together de Finetti's exchangeability, Martin-Löf randomness, Lewis's and Skyrms's chance-credence norms, and statistical constraining laws (arXiv:2303.01411). Laws that constrain histories to algorithmically random sequences naturally pair with exchangeable credences encoding inductive symmetries. Using the de Finetti representation theorem, we show that this pairing directly entails the Principal Principle of this framework. We extend the proof to partial exchangeability and provide finite-history bounds that vanish in the infinite limit. The Principal Principle thus emerges as a mathematical consequence of the alignment between nomological constraints and inductive learning. This reveals how algorithmic randomness and exchangeability can illuminate foundational questions about chance, frequency, and rational belief.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_24054
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Algorithmic Randomness, Exchangeability, and the Principal Principle
Barrett, Jeffrey A.
Chen, Eddy Keming
History and Philosophy of Physics
Probability
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Quantum Physics
We introduce a framework uniting algorithmic randomness with exchangeable credences to address foundational questions in philosophy of probability and philosophy of science. To demonstrate its power, we show how one might use the framework to derive the Principal Principle -- the norm that rational credence should match known objective chance -- without circularity. The derivation brings together de Finetti's exchangeability, Martin-Löf randomness, Lewis's and Skyrms's chance-credence norms, and statistical constraining laws (arXiv:2303.01411). Laws that constrain histories to algorithmically random sequences naturally pair with exchangeable credences encoding inductive symmetries. Using the de Finetti representation theorem, we show that this pairing directly entails the Principal Principle of this framework. We extend the proof to partial exchangeability and provide finite-history bounds that vanish in the infinite limit. The Principal Principle thus emerges as a mathematical consequence of the alignment between nomological constraints and inductive learning. This reveals how algorithmic randomness and exchangeability can illuminate foundational questions about chance, frequency, and rational belief.
title Algorithmic Randomness, Exchangeability, and the Principal Principle
topic History and Philosophy of Physics
Probability
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.24054