Random Thoughts

# Random Thoughts
### Randall Pruim
### Calvin University
### 2021-01-07 (updated: 2021-01-07)

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# Random Thoughts

???

Image credit: [credit](https://danielmiessler.com/images/ordered_chaos.png)

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# Random Thoughts

### A few caveats before we begin ...

0. There is no dinner after this talk. :-(

1. This is mostly a personal reflection.

2. Randomness is ~~Difficult~~ Challenging.

a. technical challenges
  
  b. vocabulary challenges
  
  c. disciplinary challenges
--

3. Frustrating lack of methodology (for the questions I'm approaching).

a. no theorems, no data analysis, no algorithms
  
  b. not clear other disciplines have what it takes either
 
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# What is Randomness?

1. **Unpredictability** [Process Randomness]

* A coin toss

2. **Unknowability** [Epistemological Randomness]

* A different coin toss

3. **Incompressibility** [Descriptive Randomness]

* The record of a a sequence of coin tosses:

```
        TTHHTTHHTTHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTHHTTHHHHTTHHHH
    ```

---
# What is Randomness?

1. **Unpredictability** [Process Randomness]

* A coin toss

2. **Unknowability** [Epistemological Randomness]

* A different coin toss

3. **Incompressibility** [Descriptive Randomness]

* The record of a a sequence of coin tosses:

```
        TTHHTTHHTTHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTHHTTHHHHTTHHHH
        T H T H T H H H H T T T T H T H H T H H
    ```

---
class: inverse, center, middle

# Fun and Games <br> (and Stories)

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# A few notes about games

1. I have always liked playing games

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# A few notes about games

1. I have always liked playing games -- and it seems to be hereditary.

![:scale 35%](images/game-closet.jpg)

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# A few notes about games

1. I have always liked playing games -- and it seems to be hereditary.

2. In our family, you play to win (but lose gracefully).

3. Randomness can balance the game.

---

# War and Candy Land

A completely random game is just a **slow way to flip a coin**

* Not very interesting to play unless you just like to see how the randomness plays out (slowly).

<p class = "center">
![:scale 50%](images/candyland.jpg)
</p>

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# Sorry

<p class="center">
![:center 70%](images/sorry01.jpg)
</p>

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background-image: url(images/sorry-game-over-shoulder.jpg)

# Sorry

---

# Midnightsparty (Hugo)

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# Joseph Petrus Wergin

<p class = "center">
![:scale 40%](images/joe-wergin-hof.jpg)
</p>

???

[cribbage hall of fame](http://www.cribbage.org/NewSite/hof/002_Wergin.asp)

[obit](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12342149/joseph-petrus-wergin)

---
class: inverse, center, middle

# Beyond Games

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# Joe

<p class = "center middle">
![:scale 40%](images/joe-wergin-hof.jpg)
</p>

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# Random Life Events (in Movies)

#### Blind Chance (Kieslowski, 1987)

![:scale 90%](images/blind-chance.jpg)

* [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/23284918) (three trains)
]

#### Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run, 1998)

![:scale 55%](images/run-lola-run.jpg)

* [Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/embed/uz2-D4lY2qg?start=20)

#### Sliding Doors (1998)

![:scale 55%](images/sliding-doors-1998.jpg)

* [YouTube](https://youtu.be/B6wJq9AZVfY) (two trains)
]

---
class: center middle

# Sliding Doors Train Scene

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# Not your usual Sierpinski Triangles

.pull-left[
![:scale 87%](images/Sierpinski1A.png)
]
.pull-right[
![:scale 87%](images/Sierpinski1B.png)
]

---

# Chaos Game

.pull-left[
![:scale 87%](images/Sierpinski2A.png)
]
.pull-right[
![:scale 87%](images/Sierpinski2B.png)
]

At each step:

* Pick a random corner of the triangle.
* Move half-way to that corner and place a dot.

---
class: inverse, center, middle

# Some Big Questions

---

# Some Big Questoins

1. Does God use randomness to achieve his purposes?

2. If so, does that change how we think about God (and ourselves)?

3. If not, why do random models do such a good job of explaining things?

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# Does it Matter?

Does it matter how God relates to (apparent) randomness?

**1.** If things are not random, why do they behave that way?

* To make the world more liveable for humans? (cf. D Laverell)
* Why doesn't God make different choices?
    
--

**2.** How do we interpret life events?

* Lots, Coincidenes, Insurance

**3.** How much are we shaped by "random" things that happen in our lives?

* The three movies answer this question in different ways.
    
--

<p class = "center">
![:scale 30%](images/Lucy-and-Maria-Aylmer.jpg)
</p>

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# A Thought Experiment

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# Parting (random) thoughts

**1.** Most scientists using randomness in their models are doing because 
**random models work**, not because they have a particular 
philosophic/theological position.

**2.** **Randomness** can be used **creatively** to acheive desired ends.

* Game design [Sorry, cribbage, etc.]
* Probabilistic Algorithms, Quantum Computation
* Genetics?

**3.** Allowing **a role for randomness does not preclude a role for God**.

* Personifying chance doesn't bring clarity to the discussion.
* It's not "God xor chance", rather "God via chance?"

**4.** I prefer **symmetric interpretations** of randomness.

* "God when it's good, random when it's bad" seems contrived.
* It is easy to selectively choose our interpretation based on the situation.

---

# Thanks

Slides available at <https://rpruim.github.io/talks/>

*Randomness and God's Governance*

* [Biologos Blog](https://biologos.org/articles/randomness-and-gods-governance)

* [At Ministry Theorem](http://ministrytheorem.calvinseminary.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/9_pruim.pdf)

* Includes a reading list.

[*Randomness and God's Nature*](https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/843249C9-B1E5-BD47-A25EDBC68363B726/bradleychance.pdf) by Jim Bradley
]

&nbsp;
&nbsp;

![:scale 45%](images/Gods-Providence-and-Randomness-book-cover.jpg)
</p>
]