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A discussion on making a deal

By Mara Fink '11
November 7, 2008

When Brian Hayes wrote a book review for American Scientist magazine in July, he didn't expect much reaction. But his mention of the Monty Hall dilemma, a probability puzzle that generated discussion in the mathematical community in the early 1990s, sparked a significant response, including a number of letters from people who, he says, "disputed the correctness of the correct solution."

HayesBrian
Hayes
Hayes, a senior writer for American Scientist magazine, will speak at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Regents Hall 310. He will talk about the book review that led him to write a follow-up piece that generated even more response, but the majority of the talk will focus on the phenomenon of persuasion. Hayes is interested in the way the discourse in science and mathematics is used to persuade people a certain mathematical result is true and what happens when persuasion is unsuccessful.

Monty Hall dilemma
The Monty Hall dilemma came about as a result of the old television game show "Let's Make a Deal," where a contestant was told to choose one of three doors that a prize could be behind. The show's host, Monty Hall, would then open one of the two unchosen doors to reveal that there was no prize inside. A contestant could then either switch to the other unopened door or stay with the original choice. Debate continues over whether switching doors really increases a contestant's chance of winning.

Contact Kari VanDerVeen at 507-786-3970 or vanderve@stolaf.edu.