Aleatoric uncertainty
Definition: Variability in outcomes due to unknowable or inherently random factors. The stochastic component of outcome uncertainty that cannot be reduced through additional sources of information. For example, when flipping a coin, uncertainty about whether it will land on heads or tails.
Related terms: Epistemic uncertainty, Knightian uncertainty
Reference:
- Der Kiureghian, A., & Ditlevsen, O. (2009). Aleatory or epistemic? Does it matter? Structural Safety, 31(2), 105–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strusafe.2008.06.020
Originally drafted by: Bradley Baker
Reviewed by: Nihan Albayrak-Aydemir**;** Brett Gall, Magdalena Grose-Hodge, Bethan Iley, Charlotte R. Pennington