The Search for Randomness | Jean Bourgain

March 25, 2009
Jean Bourgain, IBM von Neumann Professor, School of Mathematics, Institute for Advanced Study
www.ias.edu/people/faculty-and...
Although the concept of randomness is ubiquitous, it turns out to be difficult to generate a truly random sequence of events. The need for "pseudorandomness" in various parts of modern science, ranging from numerical simulation to cryptography, has challenged our limited understanding of this issue and our mathematical resources. In this talk, Professor Jean Bourgain explores some of the problems of pseudorandomness and tools to address them.
More videos at video.ias.edu

[@ndmath]

Jean Bourgain was infamous for his papers that are difficult to digest for even researchers at the level of Terence Tao. From what I've read, he had all those problem solving tools he used at the exact right steps. But this talk was actually very approachable. Not too heavy on the mathematical details.

[@ElSmusso]

I came here by random browsing...

[@travisbaskerfield]

Chuckle: My speculation is that randomness is God shuffling of superdeterminism.

[@BlueSoulTiger]

2:45 Bourgain starts the lecture (preceded by a brief, content-rich introduction - nice for a change)

[@kamilziemian995]

Thank you.

[@kamilziemian995]

Great lecture.

[@JohnVKaravitis]

Why search for randomness? Just sit back and let it come to you!

[@gladman9634]

Are you looking for it or is it looking for you

[@naimulhaq9626]

Infinite complexity can become deterministic by a Quantum Computer, conjectured by Maldacena (the universe is a QC function), eliminate randomness/chance, due to fine tuning (self-organization), leading to creation of life with probability one (cosmic consciousness). We will never be able to know the algorithm of the QC function, like Turing's thinking machines.

[@golagaz]

Boltzmann Ergodic hypothesis is about time vs. ensemble averages.

[@jerome8601]

What he said.

[@TheNightPortal]

I came here by bus, had to walk the last half mile

[@naimulhaq9626]

Fine tuning eliminates randomness.

[@WildAnimalChannel]

Well that was a bit random. Amirite?

[@_SeaH0rse]

The best random number generator is still the brain.