UNCERTAINTY

The characterization and control of uncertainty are fundamental issues in science, particularly in the fields of mathematics, computer science and engineering.

Any physical quantity measured carries with it an uncertainty inherent in the limited precision of the measuring instrument. Furthermore, the acquisition of physical data (such as medical or astronomical images, or sound recordings) is generally disturbed by noise sources, the effects of which need to be mitigated. Uncertainty also applies to the prediction of future events and the completion of missing data, for example in weather forecasting or recommendation systems, where the aim is to produce unknown information. Uncertainty has a random character, which explains why statistics and probability play a central role in the formulation and resolution of many problems. In addition, mathematics is littered with major principles of uncertainty, such as the inability to determine simultaneously and with arbitrary precision the speed and position of a moving particle, or the duration and frequency of a pure note. Finally, uncertainty is inherent to the scientific process and its quest for knowledge.