Abraham De Moivre : Setting the Stage for Classical Probability and Its Applications

This book is the first biography of Abraham De Moivre based on recently discovered material. It discusses the status of statistics and probability before and during De Moivre’s time. The text covers his theories as well as the work of key players and those he influenced. Along with exploring the development of probability theory, the book describes its applications in medicine, insurance, and astronomy. It also examines the diffusion of ideas about probability in popular literature.

Extensively researched, this book traces the life and work of Abraham De Moivre as well as the state of probability and statistics in eighteenth-century Britain. It is the first extensive biography of De Moivre and is based on recently discovered material and translations, including some of De Moivre’s letters.

The book begins with discussions on De Moivre’s early life in France and his initial work in pure mathematics with some excursions into celestial mechanics. It then describes his fundamental contributions to probability theory and applications, including those in finance and actuarial science. The author explores how De Moivre’s wide network of personal and professional connections often motivated his research. The book also covers De Moivre’s contemporaries and his impact on the field. Written in a clear, approachable style, this biography will appeal to historians and practitioners of the art of probability and statistics in a wide range of applications, including finance and actuarial science.