What is Luck?
Someone said to me today that there is no such thing as luck. Luck was the Devil giving false hope to the masses. For example people who buy lottery tickets are hoping to be lucky and win. He said that "luck" is really Divine Intervention. I buy lottery ticket on the hope I get lucky and win. Is luck really Divine Intervention or the work of the Devil?
3 comments:
Considering all areas of science, one can see pattern and planning everywhere. What appears to be random, upon further study reveals a pattern, this includes human behaviour and the appearance of numbers. Just think about the study where people were observed entering a public washroom and choosing a stall. Even their stall choices had a predictable pattern...so then is there such a think as luck? I guess that depends on how you define the word :)
luck
Pronunciation: (luk), [key]
—n.
1. the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities: With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia.
2. good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance: He had no luck finding work.
3. a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person: She's had nothing but bad luck all year.
4. some object on which good fortune is supposed to depend: This rabbit's foot is my luck.
5. down on one's luck, in unfortunate circumstances; unlucky: She hated to see her old friend so down on her luck.
6. in luck, lucky; fortunate: We were in luck, for the bakery was still open.
7. luck of the draw, the luck one has in or as if in drawing cards.
8. out of luck, unlucky; unfortunate: When it comes to getting World Series tickets, we're usually out of luck.
9. push one's luck, Informal.to try to make too much of an opportunity; go too far. Also,crowd one's luck.
—v. Informal.
1. luck into or onto, to meet, acquire, become, etc., by good luck: She lucked into a great job.
2. luck out,to have an instance or run of exceptionally good luck: He lucked out when he made a hole in one during the tournament.
3. luck upon, to come across by chance: to luck upon a profitable investment.
Two thoughts:
1. From Ray Charles (though I think from one of th eold blues guys before that): "If it wasn't for bad luck/I wouldn't have no luck at all"!
2. I think humans are pretty much pattern recognition machines - we see the patterns Kim described above. But we're also subject to 'apophenia': just a big word for seeing a pattern where no real pattern exists. I think stuff just happens, and we call it luck. But given that, if you think you're lucky, you're more likely to be (there's research on this) - not because of anything supernatural, but because you'll have a more positive attitude and be more likely to take advantage of random opportunities.
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