In
probability theory
Probability theory is the branch of mathematics concerned with probability. Although there are several different probability interpretations, probability theory treats the concept in a rigorous mathematical manner by expressing it through a set o ...
, a nonlinear expectation is a nonlinear generalization of the
expectation. Nonlinear expectations are useful in
utility theory
As a topic of economics, utility is used to model worth or value. Its usage has evolved significantly over time. The term was introduced initially as a measure of pleasure or happiness as part of the theory of utilitarianism by moral philosopher ...
as they more closely match human behavior than traditional expectations. The common use of nonlinear expectations is in assessing risks under uncertainty. Generally, nonlinear expectations are categorized into sub-linear and super-linear expectations dependent on the additive properties of the given sets. Much of the study of nonlinear expectation is attributed to work of mathematicians within the past two decades.
Definition
A
functional
Functional may refer to:
* Movements in architecture:
** Functionalism (architecture)
** Form follows function
* Functional group, combination of atoms within molecules
* Medical conditions without currently visible organic basis:
** Functional sy ...
(where
is a
vector lattice
In mathematics, a Riesz space, lattice-ordered vector space or vector lattice is a partially ordered vector space where the order structure is a lattice.
Riesz spaces are named after Frigyes Riesz who first defined them in his 1928 paper ''Sur ...
on a
probability space
In probability theory, a probability space or a probability triple (\Omega, \mathcal, P) is a mathematical construct that provides a formal model of a random process or "experiment". For example, one can define a probability space which models t ...
) is a nonlinear expectation if it satisfies:
# Monotonicity: if
such that
then