ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1, we introduced the idea of representing demographic processes as transitions between states. Using this notion, the simple life table may be depicted as the transition between two states, ‘alive’ and ‘dead’ (see Figure 1.2a). Some features of this representation are worthy of comment:
Only one transition is possible: from ‘alive’ to ‘dead’.
‘Dead’ is an absorbing state. People do not come back to life. Thus the transition between the states ‘alive’ and ‘dead’ is only made in one direction.
Everybody ultimately makes the transition. There are no immortal people.
