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Buddhist view on Probability

LostieLostie Veteran
edited November 2010 in Buddhism Basics
I see many threads starting with "Buddhist view on XXX".

Here's mine, seriously though, what's the Buddhist view on Probability? As in what we learn in our Statistics classes.

Can we speak of Probability and uncertainy/certainty in the same breath?

Any views welcomed. Thanks! :)

Comments

  • thickpaperthickpaper Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Lostie wrote: »
    I see many threads starting with "Buddhist view on XXX".

    Here's mine, seriously though, what's the Buddhist view on Probability? As in what we learn in our Statistics classes.

    Can we speak of Probability and uncertainy/certainty in the same breath?

    Any views welcomed. Thanks! :)


    I think Karma can be understood probabalistically. For example, if you commit wholesome deeds you will me more likely to have wholesome experiences.

    namaste
  • ZaylZayl Veteran
    edited November 2010
    I flip a coin and the probability of it being heads as I call it is 50%

    ...am I doing this right? I'm afraid I was one of those people who constantly had their head in the clouds during school.
  • YesheDorjeYesheDorje
    edited November 2010
    I think that too many threads start with the phrase "Buddhist view on???".
    I think that it is misleading to think that there is a Buddhist view on this and that. It seems that in this regard Buddhism is not an "ism". Rather Buddhism is the path to understanding reality. Even when reality is understood and even agreed upon, there is still a lot of room for varying opinion, or alternative perspectives.

    In regard to probability and certainty, my view is that certainty probably does exist and probability certainly does exist.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Probability is a concept very dear to my heart, but it is in the end a relative notion, something we use to communicate our shared experiences, whereas Buddhist practice is ultimately concerned with the absolute, i.e., personal experience.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited November 2010
    I don't see that the science of statistics has much of anything to do with Buddhism one way or the other. Statistics and probabilities are what they are. It's mathematics, pure and simple.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited November 2010
    Probability is conceptually the way we think it is... but it is conditioned. That's the understanding of underlying mechanics of any phenomena that we must as Buddhists come to term with. All things have their conditions for arising, even if we don't particularly know what those conditions are.
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