Luck

[Jeremiah Ames]

Does chance have a cause?

Could chance have a cause?

Is so, what would it be?

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Does chance have a cause?

Could chance have a cause?

Is so, what would it be?

Chaos and disorder that is inherent in the universe. In other words "**** happens"

 

[Brickjectivity]

Does chance have a cause?

Could chance have a cause?

Is so, what would it be?

There are an infinite variety of distances, relations, sets and relations on each other just by virtue of things taking up space, because atom 1 can't be in same space as atom 2. The atoms imitate the infinite nature of order. Adding 1 to 1 to 1 to 1... eventually gives you an infinite range of relationships.

There are types of numbers besides integers. The rational numbers are all numbers which can be the ratio of two integers. The irrational numbers cannot, and those numbers like pi and phi and represent some special relationships like the ratios in circles and spirals. They can't be represented at all by simple integers. Beyond numbers like those there are numbers called algebraic numbers and then beyond that there are transcendent numbers.

 

[Estro Felino]

Homo faber fortunae suae.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

There are an infinite variety of distances, relations, sets and relations on each other just by virtue of things taking up space, because atom 1 can't be in same space as atom 2. The atoms imitate the infinite nature of order. Adding 1 to 1 to 1 to 1... eventually gives you an infinite range of relationships.

There are types of numbers besides integers. The rational numbers are all numbers which can be the ratio of two integers. The irrational numbers cannot, and those numbers like pi and phi and represent some special relationships like the ratios in circles and spirals. They can't be represented at all by simple integers. Beyond numbers like those there are numbers called algebraic numbers and then beyond that there are transcendent numbers.

So, mathematics is the cause? Or could be the cause?
I find that an appealing concept.

But, then, what is the cause of mathematics?

 

[Terry Sampson]

Does chance have a cause?

Has anyone read "What's Luck Got to Do with It? The History, Mathematics, and Psychology of the Gambler's Illusion Joseph Mazur"?

What does he say?

 

[Deeje]

Does chance have a cause?

Could chance have a cause?

Is so, what would it be?

The Bible puts it this way....wise King Solomon wrote.....
Ecclesiastes 9:11...
"I returned to see under the sun that the swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor do the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all.”

Chance is what it is....something often unforeseen.

 

[wellwisher]

Chance, or the whims of the Gods, is not new. This philosophical approach toward reality came before the age of reason and before modern science. If you do not understand the logic behind a phenomena, it will appear to be by chance. If you can accept, you do not understand the logic, then there is a math oracle, called statistics, that can help you anticipate, even without knowledge of the logic. This is done with a black box approach, that places the phenomena in the dark, like it is within the mind of the layman, and we only need to think about observational inputs and outputs. The math oracle will do the rest.

We live in a quantum universe. The matter/energy relationships of our universe are quantized. This means these relationships are not random but very exact and deterministic. For example, the energy levels of the hydrogen atom are very distinct, with gaps or discontinuities between the distinct energy levels; quantized. These energy levels are not random, but are very specific to the hydrogen atom. The quantum nature is like a fingerprint very specific to hydrogen.

It is this exact nature of the hydrogen emission spectrum that allows us to infer all types of affects all over the universe. Since this hydrogen spectrum is always the same, everywhere in the universe, any displacement of the base spectrum; observational change, means some secondary affect is at work, such as motion and Doppler shift. It is never due to the hydrogen atom deciding to go random.

If we did not know the emission spectrum of hydrogen were quantified, but rather we assumed it could be anything; chance, then all the variety, due to secondary affects, would also appear random and by chance. This was the way of science before they understood quantum. On the other hand, since we know the quantum nature of the fingerprint of hydrogen, the variety of displacement is understood to be the result of motion within an expanding universe with no single center.

On the other hand, the layman who does not know all the math and science needed to integrate all the data into a model of an expanding universe, can still participate, even they use the assumption of random and chance. Statistics is a method that can be applied to any situation and this oracle can give us a good approximation. It is this good approximation, that often confuses reason, since it suggest that the universe is ruled by the whims of the God; chance.