Field
Probability theory
The branch of mathematics that describes uncertainty and random events with precise rules.
Updated Oct 27, 2026 · 1 min read · 6 connections
- Early work
- Pascal and Fermat, 1654
- Axioms
- Kolmogorov, 1933
Foundations
Probability began with letters between Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat on games of chance. Andrey Kolmogorov’s 1933 axioms placed it on a rigorous measure-theoretic footing.
Uses
Probability is the language of statistical mechanics and information theory, and the Born rule makes it central to quantum mechanics. Bayesian approaches also use it to model rational belief in epistemology.