A brief historical overview of Probability Theory and the connections with its teaching
Keywords:
Uncertainty, Probability Teaching, Historical and Epistemological DevelopmentAbstract
In this article we present a brief historical frame of Probability Theory, cover the period from antiquity to the mid-twentieth century, in order to understand which theoretical constructs need to be privileged in its teaching. Using a Timeline organized into four periods (prehistory of probability, emergence of the concept, development of Classical Probability and modern period), we highlight the contributions of the main mathematicians to the Probability Calculus. We note that probability theory has been shaped by diverse contributions from brilliant minds from different eras and contexts, including mathematicians, philosophers, statisticians, and scientists. This conceptual and epistemological evolution has had a significant impact on the development of theory over the centuries and has influenced teaching and learning processes.
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