What do you think?
Rate this book
Luck: The Brilliant Randomness of Everyday Life
Reflects on the nature of luck and its role in war, business, lotteries, and romance, and explains why humans ought to reduce their reliance on it
237 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 16, 2021
if you like this review, i now have website: www.michaelkamakana.com
160120: on reread this short short work inspires more thought on the role luck has played in my life. i have to recognize how much, good and bad. not complaining, not overstating, but also allowing how much has been outside my apparent control, which brings humility, sympathy, awareness of lives of others. i would perhaps like to believe there is/has been some causal relationship between idea, morality, values etc, and events, but such may be psychology of metaphysical engines for religious concepts... western or eastern... and i would rather be philosophical...
the most obvious random everyday event is the brain injury, the coma, the rehabilitations i undergo when i am almost twenty-six, and repercussions that follow for years (decades...). this is bad luck. nothing i ‘caused’. on the other, after forty-nine days of coma, i survive. well enough to read books and write somewhat. this is good luck. and then, i have always been fortunate in other aspects of my life, in my parents, my family, my social and economic situation, my freedom to write..
there are also random events somewhere between luck and act, the most obvious being my desire to write a certain way, my way, only my way. this may be bad luck, but we will only know, if ever, fifty years after... other bad luck, well did i really have to love those (2) women who are already set for arranged marriage, did one girlfriend die only years (decades..) after my mom would have had me marry her and is it good luck i did not (for the immediate grief i evaded...) did that a current girlfriend die and has that bad luck (very immediate grief) make it possible to have good luck in meeting the love of my life... well, she may not know, may not care, may not reciprocate, but my emotions will not change. and is this now good luck? luck is an ongoing question that we cannot live without...
.??? 2000s?: luck is something we all need more of- even (especially) if we are not sure of what it is: learn here...
160120: on reread this short short work inspires more thought on the role luck has played in my life. i have to recognize how much, good and bad. not complaining, not overstating, but also allowing how much has been outside my apparent control, which brings humility, sympathy, awareness of lives of others. i would perhaps like to believe there is/has been some causal relationship between idea, morality, values etc, and events, but such may be psychology of metaphysical engines for religious concepts... western or eastern... and i would rather be philosophical...
the most obvious random everyday event is the brain injury, the coma, the rehabilitations i undergo when i am almost twenty-six, and repercussions that follow for years (decades...). this is bad luck. nothing i ‘caused’. on the other, after forty-nine days of coma, i survive. well enough to read books and write somewhat. this is good luck. and then, i have always been fortunate in other aspects of my life, in my parents, my family, my social and economic situation, my freedom to write..
there are also random events somewhere between luck and act, the most obvious being my desire to write a certain way, my way, only my way. this may be bad luck, but we will only know, if ever, fifty years after... other bad luck, well did i really have to love those (2) women who are already set for arranged marriage, did one girlfriend die only years (decades..) after my mom would have had me marry her and is it good luck i did not (for the immediate grief i evaded...) did that a current girlfriend die and has that bad luck (very immediate grief) make it possible to have good luck in meeting the love of my life... well, she may not know, may not care, may not reciprocate, but my emotions will not change. and is this now good luck? luck is an ongoing question that we cannot live without...
.??? 2000s?: luck is something we all need more of- even (especially) if we are not sure of what it is: learn here...
July 26, 2023
"Luck: The Brilliant Randomness of Everyday Life" by Nicholas Rescher is an intriguing exploration of the role luck plays in our lives. The book suggests that many aspects of life, even those we assume to be under our control, are significantly influenced by random chance or luck.
Rescher, a distinguished philosopher, dives deep into the complexities of luck, explaining how randomness impacts our daily experiences, personal successes, and overall life trajectories. He explores the philosophical, moral, and ethical implications of luck, particularly how we perceive merit and fairness in society. He argues that luck significantly contributes to the inequalities present in society.
In his exploration, Rescher also considers the impact of luck on decision-making processes, exploring how the unpredictability of outcomes influences our choices. He addresses the tension between our desire for control and the inherent uncertainty of life, encouraging a degree of humility and an acceptance of the role of chance in our existence.
The book is a thought-provoking contemplation on randomness, fortune, and the human condition. It is a philosophical study, a social commentary, and a guide to embracing the uncertainty of life.
Rescher, a distinguished philosopher, dives deep into the complexities of luck, explaining how randomness impacts our daily experiences, personal successes, and overall life trajectories. He explores the philosophical, moral, and ethical implications of luck, particularly how we perceive merit and fairness in society. He argues that luck significantly contributes to the inequalities present in society.
In his exploration, Rescher also considers the impact of luck on decision-making processes, exploring how the unpredictability of outcomes influences our choices. He addresses the tension between our desire for control and the inherent uncertainty of life, encouraging a degree of humility and an acceptance of the role of chance in our existence.
The book is a thought-provoking contemplation on randomness, fortune, and the human condition. It is a philosophical study, a social commentary, and a guide to embracing the uncertainty of life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2019
Rescher here provides a nice philosophical anthropological approach to examining human perspectives on luck and how luck impacts human life. That said, I am currently embroiled in philosophical work discussing the metaphysics of luck, so I was hoping for a bit more of that discussion in this work. Of course, I understand that Rescher aimed this book at a popular audience so was not surprised by the absence of much analytic philosophy here. Still, I think most philosophers focused on analyses of luck would do well to read Rescher's more recent papers on the concept of luck to understand his view on it. But for anyone interested in how luck affects our lives, this is certainly worth a read!
June 3, 2019
Das Philospophie zu nennen ist etwas übertrieben. Kaum zu glauben, dass Rescher (den ich sehr verehre) das selbst geschrieben hat.
January 5, 2022
It was a little slow. Very much about the history of luck and how it works out. It could be interesting for others but wasn’t my type
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews