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Randomness vs Contingency - What's the difference?

randomness | contingency |

As nouns the difference between randomness and contingency

is that randomness is the property of all possible outcomes being equally likely while contingency is (uncountable) the quality of being contingent, of happening by chance; unpredictability.

randomness

Noun

(es)
  • The property of all possible outcomes being equally likely.
  • (mathematics) A type of circumstance or event that is described by a probability distribution.
  • A measure of the lack of purpose, logic or objectivity of an event.
  • There was no randomness in the teacher's selection of the class representative.

    Derived terms

    * algorithmic randomness * statistical randomness

    contingency

    Noun

  • (uncountable) The quality of being contingent, of happening by chance; unpredictability.
  • (countable) A possibility; something which may or may not happen. A chance occurrence, especially in finance, unexpected expenses.
  • (countable) An amount of money which a party to a contract has to pay to the other party (usually the supplier of a major project to the client) if he or she does not fulfill the contract according to the specification.
  • (logic, countable) A statement which is neither a tautology nor a contradiction.
  • Synonyms

    * (quality of happening by chance) possibility * See also

    Antonyms

    * (quality of happening by chance) inevitability, impossibility

    Coordinate terms

    * (statement which is neither a tautology nor a contradiction) contradiction, tautology

    Derived terms

    * contingency plan