On general conditional prevision assessments

Abstract

In this paper we consider general conditional random quantities of the kind $X|Y$, where $X$ and $Y$ are finite discrete random quantities. Then, we introduce the notion of coherence for conditional prevision assessments on finite families of general conditional random quantities. Moreover, we give a compound prevision theorem and we examine the relation between the previsions of $X|Y$ and $Y|X$. Then, we give some results on random gains and, by a suitable alternative theorem, we obtain a characterization of coherence. We also propose an algorithm for the checking of coherence. Finally, we briefly examine the case of imprecise conditional prevision assessments by introducing the notions of generalized and total coherence. To illustrate our results, we consider some examples.