Jeffrey S. Rosenthal

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Summary Profile

Jeffrey S. Rosenthal is a professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Toronto. At 24, he received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Harvard. He has written two textbooks on probability theory and is also an amateur musician, computer-game programmer and improvisational comedy performer.

In his new book, Struck by Lightning, Rosenthal has put his mathematical mind to the probability behind all kinds of everyday occurrences. From lotteries to casinos, insurance rates to crime rates, game shows to airline crashes, cancer to SARS, Struck by Lightning deconstructs the odds and oddities of chance in an understandable, relevant and irreverent exploration. Randomness, uncertainty and probability are everywhere, and while no one can predict uncertain events with certainty, we can at least understand uncertainty itself. In this entertaining look at the world of probabilities, Jeffrey Rosenthal explains the mechanics of randomness and teaches us how to develop an informed perspective on probability.

The Probability Perspective will never replace all of your other critical thinking skills and decision-making methods – things like intuition and compassion and determination and honour and just plain common sense, but it will provide you with one more tool to better understand the world’s randomness and your place within it.

Client Testimonials:

“He was terrific.  Strongly recommended.  Exceeded our expectations on all fronts and even slowed down his speaking enough that most people got his excellent jokes...  Also was very good at subtly merging his material into our business and service for my clients.”

Scotia Capital