Abstract

The subject of this thesis is the critical discussion of four attempts to eliminate objective probabilities from classical statistical mechanics. The interest in these attempts stems from the wide-spread belief that the deterministic character of classical mechanics precludes the introduction of objective probabilities proper. The first two attempts are guided by the idea that eliminating objective probabilities amounts to showing that they can be construed as subjective degrees of belief. In the third and the fourth chapters we shall review two attempts to eliminate probabilities by replacing them with non-probabilistic concepts. Our conclusion is that none of these four attempts is fully successful. However, by analysing the reasons for the various failures, we shall gain new insight into the nature of objective probabilities and their place within statistical mechanics