Question

Isn’t every event by definition improbable in the sense that each event precedes an infinite series of causes that could have (theoretically atleast) been different?

We think of someone winning five lotteries as extremely improbable and a rare event. But the probability of five different, specific people winning five lotteries is the same.

The probability of getting 100 straight heads is the same as any other sequence, yet the other sequences aren’t seen as improbable.

When it comes to other types of mundane events, such as a person walking across the street, isn’t that also an "absurdly improbable" event? Once you factor in the details and specifics of that event, such as the way in which the person is walking, what clothes he’s wearing, what time it is, it also seems very improbable event.

So when, exactly, is an event probable?

Answer 1

Probability is a mathematical tool used to study randomness and the likelihood of events occurring. The probability of an event is determined by the ratio of favorable outcomes to the total number of possible outcomes. Each event has a certain probability associated with it.

Step-by-step explanation:

Probability is a mathematical tool used to study randomness and the likelihood of events occurring. Each event has a certain probability associated with it, which can range from 0 to 1. If two events are equally likely, then they have equal probability. When it comes to events that seem improbable, such as winning multiple lotteries or getting a specific sequence of outcomes, it is important to consider the number of possible outcomes and the total number of events. While each event may seem unlikely when considering all the specific details and circumstances, the probability of the event occurring can still be calculated based on the total number of possible outcomes. So, the probability of an event is determined by the ratio of favorable outcomes to the total number of possible outcomes.