Sentences with phrase «occur by random chance»

In a new study published in Nature, researchers in these two academic fields have joined forces at the University of Pennsylvania to solve an essential problem of how languages evolve: determining whether language changes occur by random chance or by a selective force.

Definition of a Superstitious Behavior: Accidentally or unintentionally reinforced behavior where a behavior is reinforced but the reinforcement occurred by random chance instead of in accordance with a specific contingency.

Not exact matches

For example, in criticising Dawkins, he points out that «If every step in the series [of evolution] occurs by chance... the end can not be ordered», apparently unaware that Dawkins does not view evolution as entirely random, but allows for a certain direction, provided by the mechanism of natural selection (p. 51).

What the argument by probability does is to reflect on the «fine - tunedness» of a universe in which life can exist, reflects on the chance of life occurring through purely random events, and concludes that the chance of life coming into existence through purely random forces of nature is so infinitesimally small as to be almost non-existent.

But since both colonoscopy and appendicitis are common things, the question became: is there a real correlation here, or are these two random events that were just occurring together by chance?»

The cost of retirement, also known as the stochastic (or random) present value of retirement, was the actual cost of paying for a given income in retirement when the unknown variables of longevity and asset returns were allowed to occur by chance.