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Related papers: A Bayesian Approach to the Simulation Argument

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We present a framework for the efficient computation of optimal Bayesian decisions under intractable likelihoods, by learning a surrogate model for the expected utility (or its distribution) as a function of the action and data spaces. We…

Machine Learning · Statistics 2023-11-13 Justin Alsing , Thomas D. P. Edwards , Benjamin Wandelt

Excellent computer simulations are done for a purpose. The most valid purposes are to explore uncharted territory, to resolve a well-posed scientific or technical question, or to make a design choice. Stand-alone modeling can serve the…

Numerical Analysis · Mathematics 2025-10-20 Leo P. Kadanoff

The Bayesian posterior probability of the true state is stochastically dominated by that same posterior under the probability law of the true state. This generalizes to notions of "optimism" about posterior probabilities.

Theoretical Economics · Economics 2022-09-27 Sergiu Hart , Yosef Rinott

We study a Bayesian persuasion game where a sender wants to persuade a receiver to take a binary action, such as purchasing a product. The sender is informed about the (real-valued) state of the world, such as the quality of the product,…

Computer Science and Game Theory · Computer Science 2025-02-13 Keegan Harris , Nicole Immorlica , Brendan Lucier , Aleksandrs Slivkins

We investigate the simulation problem in of dense-time system. A specification simulates a model if the specification can match every transition that the model can make at a time point. We also adapt the approach of Emerson and Lei and…

Logic in Computer Science · Computer Science 2010-07-06 Farn Wang

In the Bayesian approach to probability theory, probability quantifies a degree of belief for a single trial, without any a priori connection to limiting frequencies. In this paper we show that, despite being prescribed by a fundamental…

Quantum Physics · Physics 2009-11-07 Carlton M. Caves , Christopher A. Fuchs , Ruediger Schack

Despite their importance in supporting experimental conclusions, standard statistical tests are often inadequate for research areas, like the life sciences, where the typical sample size is small and the test assumptions difficult to…

Methodology · Statistics 2011-04-15 Pietro Berkes , Jozsef Fiser

After making some general remarks, I consider two examples that illustrate the use of Bayesian Probability Theory. The first is a simple one, the physicist's favorite "toy," that provides a forum for a discussion of the key conceptual issue…

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology · Physics 2007-05-23 Harrison B. Prosper

A multi-fidelity simulator is a numerical model, in which one of the inputs controls a trade-off between the realism and the computational cost of the simulation. Our goal is to estimate the probability of exceeding a given threshold on a…

Methodology · Statistics 2021-03-31 Rémi Stroh , Julien Bect , Séverine Demeyer , Nicolas Fischer , Emmanuel Vazquez

Probabilistic mental simulation is thought to play a key role in human reasoning, planning, and prediction, yet the demands of simulation in complex environments exceed realistic human capacity limits. A theory with growing evidence is that…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2026-01-22 Tony Chen , Sam Cheyette , Kelsey Allen , Joshua Tenenbaum , Kevin Smith

Optimization is becoming increasingly common in scientific and engineering domains. Oftentimes, these problems involve various levels of stochasticity or uncertainty in generating proposed solutions. Therefore, optimization in these…

Machine Learning · Statistics 2020-06-05 Peter D. Tonner , Daniel V. Samarov , A. Gilad Kusne

Modern statistical software and machine learning libraries are enabling semi-automated statistical inference. Within this context, it appears easier and easier to try and fit many models to the data at hand, reversing thereby the Fisherian…

Methodology · Statistics 2020-09-28 Pierre-Alexandre Mattei

Probabilities in eternal inflation are traditionally defined as limiting frequency distributions, but a unique and unambiguous probability measure remains elusive. In this paper, we present a different approach, based on Bayesian reasoning.…

High Energy Physics - Theory · Physics 2023-07-19 Justin Khoury , Sam S. C. Wong

Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) performs statistical inference for otherwise intractable probability models by accepting parameter proposals when corresponding simulated datasets are sufficiently close to the observations. Producing…

Computation · Statistics 2014-12-05 Dennis Prangle

An understanding of how input parameter uncertainty in the numerical simulation of physical models leads to simulation output uncertainty is a challenging task. Common methods for quantifying output uncertainty, such as performing a grid or…

Materials Science · Physics 2023-09-25 Samuel G. McCallum , James E. Lerpiniére , Kjeld O. Jensen , Alison B. Walker

In normative models a decision-maker is usually assumed to be Bayesian rational, and so to maximize subjective expected utility, within a complete and correctly specified decision model. Following the discussion in Hammond (2007) of…

Theoretical Economics · Economics 2026-01-13 Peter J. Hammond

[Abridged] Some cosmological theories propose that the observable universe is a small part of a much larger universe in which parameters describing the low-energy laws of physics vary from region to region. How can we reasonably assess a…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2026-02-04 Feraz Azhar , Alan H. Guth , Mohammad Hossein Namjoo

The dominant theories of rational choice assume logical omniscience. That is, they assume that when facing a decision problem, an agent can perform all relevant computations and determine the truth value of all relevant logical/mathematical…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2023-07-12 Caspar Oesterheld , Abram Demski , Vincent Conitzer

Statistics is sometimes described as the science of reasoning under uncertainty. Statistical models provide one view of this uncertainty, but what is frequently neglected is the 'invisible' portion of uncertainty: that assumed not to exist…

Methodology · Statistics 2026-03-18 Oliver L. Pescott , Robin J. Boyd , Gary D. Powney , Gavin B. Stewart