Single Idea 23900

[catalogued under 10. Modality / B. Possibility / 7. Chance]

Full Idea

Chance is not the contrary of necessity; it is not incompatible with necessity. On the contrary, it never appears except at the same time as necessity.

Gist of Idea

Chance is compatible with necessity, and the two occur together

Source

Simone Weil (The Scientific Image [1941], p.175)

Book Reference

Weil,Simone: 'Late Philosophical Writings' [Notre Dame 2015], p.175


A Reaction

She illustrates it with the six terminating results of a die throw, and the innumerabe ways the throw can occur. This thought strikes me as relevant to discussions of free will. …But I'm not sure I fully understand it.