Poincaré and probability

Abstract

The paper is devoted to Poincaré’s work in probability. The starting point for the discussion is Poincaré’s intervention in the Dreyfus Affair. Although works on probability do not represent a large part of the mathematician’s achievements, they provide significant insight into the evolution of Poincaré’s thought on several important matters, such as the changes in physics implied by statistical mechanics and molecular theories. The general historical context of this evolution is presented.