Probability Measures and Effective Randomness

Abstract

We study the question, ``For which reals $x$ does there exist a measure $\mu$ such that $x$ is random relative to $\mu$?'' We show that for every nonrecursive $x$, there is a measure which makes $x$ random without concentrating on $x$. We give several conditions on $x$ equivalent to there being continuous measure which makes $x$ random. We show that for all but countably many reals $x$ these conditions apply, so there is a continuous measure which makes $x$ random. There is a meta-mathematical aspect of this investigation. As one requires higher arithmetic levels in the degree of randomness, one must make use of more iterates of the power set of the continuum to show that for all but countably many $x$'s there is a continuous $\mu$ which makes $x$ random to that degree.

9 pages