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International Conference on Current Trends in Theory and Practice of Computer Science

SOFSEM 2009: SOFSEM 2009: Theory and Practice of Computer Science pp 49–61Cite as

Randomness and Determination, from Physics and Computing towards Biology

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNTCS,volume 5404))

Abstract

In this text we will discuss different forms of randomness in Natural Sciences and present some recent results relating them. In finite processes, randomness differs in various theoretical context, or, to put it otherwise, there is no unifying notion of finite time randomness. In particular, we will introduce, classical (dynamical), quantum and algorithmic randomness. In physics, differing probabilities, as a measure of randomness, evidentiate the differences between the various notions. Yet, asymptotically, one is universal: Martin-Löf randomness provides a clearly defined and robust notion of randomness for infinite sequences of numbers. And this is based on recursion theory, that is the theory of effective computability. As a recurring issue, the question will be raised of what randomenss means in biology, phylogenesis in particular. Finally, hints will be given towards a thesis, relating finite time randomness and time irreversibility in physical processes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS, Dépt. Informatique – ENS, and CREA, Polytechnique, Paris, France

    Giuseppe Longo

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  1. Giuseppe Longo
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aarhus Graduate School of Science, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade Bldg 1521-110, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Mogens Nielsen

  2. Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University, Botanická 68a, 60200, Brno, Czech Republic

    Antonín Kučera

  3. Department of Computer Science, University of Aarhus, IT-parken, Aabogade 34, DK-8200, Aarhus N., Denmark

    Peter Bro Miltersen

  4. Ecole Polytechnique, Rue de Saclay, 91128, Palaiseau Cedex, France

    Catuscia Palamidessi  & Frank Valencia  & 

  5. Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Malostranské námestí 25, 118 00, Prague 1, Malá Strana, Czech Republic

    Petr Tůma

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Longo, G. (2009). Randomness and Determination, from Physics and Computing towards Biology. In: Nielsen, M., Kučera, A., Miltersen, P.B., Palamidessi, C., Tůma, P., Valencia, F. (eds) SOFSEM 2009: Theory and Practice of Computer Science. SOFSEM 2009. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5404. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-95891-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-95891-8_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-95890-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-95891-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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