Are we typical?

James B. Hartle and Mark Srednicki
Phys. Rev. D 75, 123523 – Published 29 June 2007

Abstract

Bayesian probability theory is used to analyze the oft-made assumption that humans are typical observers in the Universe. Some theoretical calculations make the selection fallacy that we are randomly chosen from a class of objects by some physical process, despite the absence of any evidence for such a process, or any observational evidence favoring our typicality. It is possible to favor theories in which we are typical by appropriately choosing their prior probabilities, but such assumptions should be made explicit to avoid confusion.

  • Received 2 May 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.75.123523

©2007 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

James B. Hartle* and Mark Srednicki

  • Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9530, USA

  • *hartle@physics.ucsb.edu
  • mark@physics.ucsb.edu

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Issue

Vol. 75, Iss. 12 — 15 June 2007

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