Decoding Cardano's \textit{Liber de Ludo Aleae}
The author describes Cardano's educational background in the context of the state of mathematical learning of his time and examines his \textit{Liber de Ludo Aleae} (written in mid-16th c., first published 1663, English translation 1953 and (1961; Zbl 0099.24301)). He argues that that book was based on the anonymous poem \textit{De Vetula} (ca. 1250) and that Cardano's aim was to establish conditions under which games of chance might be approved (as opposed to their flat rejection by Aristotle) rather than to compile a mathematical tract. Consequently, the author remarks as Cardano's mathematics is faulty but notes that Aristotle's concept of justice led him to state that the ratio of the wagers of two gamblers ought to be equal to that of their chances of winning (e.g., that their expected winnings be equal).
scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2184192
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