Effect of catastrophe upon continuum statistics

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Incorporating discontinuity into continuous probability raises complex questions, particularly illustrated through the game of blackjack, where players must navigate a finite limit of 21 points to avoid losing. This concept extends to real-life scenarios, such as retirement planning, where individuals must balance saving and spending in the face of life's uncertainties and the inevitability of death. The discussion also touches on the nature of quantum measurement, questioning whether the probability of events like radioactive decay can be considered finite due to the quantization of time and the reliance on discrete observables. The impact of physical singularities on statistical understanding of past, present, and future events is also explored, highlighting the inherent challenge of grasping these concepts. The relationship between continuity and discontinuity is emphasized, suggesting that understanding one requires a comprehension of the other, while acknowledging the ambiguity surrounding the definition of "statistics" in this context.
Loren Booda
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How does one incorporate discontinuity into otherwise continuous probability? The game of blackjack comes to mind - one may win by accumulating card values more than an opponent, but only up to the cutoff of 21 points, beyond which one most precipitously and surely loses. Optimum play may be calculated for the finite deck and discrete card values, though.

What if we are initially dealing with continuous values below that point which corresponds to the beginning of a zero-valued continuum? For instance, how do we know how much money to save and spend for retirement? We compensate for our impending, sudden and absolute zero of death by willing our estate, or elsewise relying on the security of family. We attempt to smooth out stochastic corners, the infinite uncertainties of our existence.

Is the time evolution of instantaneous quantum measurement probability (like that of radioactive decay) to any degree finite, because the "continuum" of measurements has a beginning and an end and because time is quantized (both like blackjack)? Does the local wavefunction actually rely on discrete observables, therefore discrete limits, on phase space?

If we encounter a (physical) singularity, what effect does that have on our past, present and future statistics?
 
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Tricky question...
I have just NO idea...as long as I try to think continuously...
Discontinuity appears only in the context of continuity...it's not possible viceversa...
A probable cause of the fact I have no idea is that I don't clearly understand what do you understand by "statistics"...or what do WE understand...
 
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Fermat's Last Theorem has long been one of the most famous mathematical problems, and is now one of the most famous theorems. It simply states that the equation $$ a^n+b^n=c^n $$ has no solutions with positive integers if ##n>2.## It was named after Pierre de Fermat (1607-1665). The problem itself stems from the book Arithmetica by Diophantus of Alexandria. It gained popularity because Fermat noted in his copy "Cubum autem in duos cubos, aut quadratoquadratum in duos quadratoquadratos, et...
I'm interested to know whether the equation $$1 = 2 - \frac{1}{2 - \frac{1}{2 - \cdots}}$$ is true or not. It can be shown easily that if the continued fraction converges, it cannot converge to anything else than 1. It seems that if the continued fraction converges, the convergence is very slow. The apparent slowness of the convergence makes it difficult to estimate the presence of true convergence numerically. At the moment I don't know whether this converges or not.

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