New Books Network Andrew H. Jaffe, "The Random Universe: How Models and Probability Help Us Make Sense of the Cosmos" (Yale UP, 2025)
Nov 25, 2025
Andrew H. Jaffe, a cosmologist and director of the Imperial Center for Inference and Cosmology, delves into how models and probability shape our understanding of the universe. He explores the importance of models in interpreting data, discussing historical figures like Copernicus and Newton. Jaffe explains the concept of Bayesian probability and how it contrasts with frequentist methods, offering insights into quantum mechanics and the nature of scientific progress. He emphasizes that science is about building probabilistic models to navigate the cosmos' inherent randomness.
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Models Come Before Meaning
- We always interpret observations through models because raw data needs a framework to make sense.
Induction Needs Naturalism
- Induction is central to science but cannot be proven logically; it requires assuming the world is intelligible.
Math Is Our Language For Order
- Mathematics works because we invent formal tools to describe real regularities, not because the universe 'knows' math.
