----------------------------- S13f. Objective probabilities ----------------------------- Consider a physical die (for simplicity assumed perfectly symmetric) with six elementary events 1,...,6. If the die is not thrown, all events are equivalent, and the probabilities are 1/6 for each event. These probabilities are associated to the die (_not_ to a throw), and can be determined uniquely from the knowledge of the geometry and composition of the die. All of probability theory happens at this level, since the 'happening' of an event is not formally defined. If the die is thrown, a given event (say 3) either happens or does not happen. If the event happens (does not happen), the statement 'This throw is a 3' is true (false), hence has a probability of 100% (0%), although before the throw, these probabilities are not yet known. These probabilities are associated to each particular throw (_not_ to the die). Thus a die functions as a potential stationary source of throws, and hence _defines_ an ensemble of (conceivable) throws. An actual throw, though a realization of this ensemble, is determined by the outcome, and cannot be assigned a probability different from 0 or 1. [See, e.g., the wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probability_theory ''Omega is a non-empty set, sometimes called the "sample space", each of whose members is thought of as a potential outcome of a random experiment.'' 'is thought of' signifies the interpretational level. Probabilities are only about 'potential outcomes' (what I call conceivable), not abut actual ones.] A stationary source has objective probability distributions for random vectors computable from observations made on it. These are given in terms of an objective expectation mapping and an associated density. In principle, this density can be measured arbitrarily well, and if the form and composition of the source is known, can be objectively predicted from physical theories. Thus objective probability distributions exist always when the generating ensemble is completely known, and more generally whenever it is objectively determined. Similarly, in quantum theory, a laser is a potential stationary source of photons, the oven in a Stern-Gerlach experiment is a stationary source of electrons, etc. The sources are in well-defined, objective quantum mechanical states, defining ensembles with objectively predictable properties.