Edinburgh University Celebrates "Betting Man" Thomas Bayes

September 1, 2011

Thomas Bayes, the 18th-century mathematician who helped improve forecasting, will be celebrated with a series of events at the University of Edinburgh from September 5-7, 2011.

Bayes, who was also a cleric, studied logic and theology at the University from 1719-22; he died in 1761.

Bayesian theory is used, among other things, to predict movements in financial markets; forecast the weather, and improve odds in gambling. Bayesian statistics are used to filter email spam.

A public talk in Bayes' honor, entitled, "How to Gamble, If You Must (Courtesy of the Reverend Bayes)," will be given at the University of Edinburgh by David Spiegelhalter (University of Cambridge).

Chris Williams, co-organizer of events, said, "If Bayes were alive now, I think he would be amazed to see the impact of his work. It is fitting that we mark his legacy by celebrating all he brought to our understanding of statistics, and that we continue to develop this most intriguing branch of mathematics, in his memory."

Source: BBC; Bayes-250 Conference Page