| Understanding the Odds in Life |
The odds are that most people do not fully
understand the statistics of probability. In this thought-provoking
program, Microsoft’s Eric Horvitz, baseball great Cal Ripken, a
psychologist, a decision theorist, and a handicapper investigate the
function and perception of odds in daily life. Scenarios examined range
from blind chance, such as a lottery, to chance mitigated by a measure of
control, like playing baseball well enough to make it to the major
leagues. The odds involved in horse racing and casino games are also
explored, along with the "one more race" syndrome—an update of
B. F. Skinner’s partial reinforcement theory—and applications of Bayes’
theorem to artificial intelligence. A Discovery Channel Production. (53
minutes, color). Copyright date: 1994 |
VHS8927
DVD8927 |
129.95
129.95 |
Call 800-776-8093 to Order |
| Understanding Beauty |
Is beauty in the eye of the beholder or is it a
mathematical function? The answer seems to be both and this fascinating
program offers insights into understanding why we like what we like.
Evolutionary biologist Randy Thornhill discusses the many ways the human
face is the ultimate object of beauty, containing symmetry and huge
amounts of information about the person. Mathematicians and architects
illustrate some of the equations behind beauty, such as the Fibonacci
Sequence, logarithmic spirals, fractals, and the Golden Section. Jazz
artist Wynton Marsalis and fashion model Paulina Porizkova offer further
commentary. A Discovery Channel Production. (53 minutes, color) Copyright
date: 1995 |
VHS11935
DVD11935 |
89.95 |
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