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For other uses, see Luck (disambiguation). Luck may refer to Luck, a chance happening Luck North Carolina Luck Wisconsin Lutsk

Luck (also called fortuity) is a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person's control. Luck can be good or bad.

A four-leaf clover is often considered to bestow good luck
A four-leaf clover is often considered to bestow good luck

Contents

Luck as lack of control

Luck refers to that which happens beyond a person's control. For information on the song go to Four Leaf Clover (song The four-leaf clover is an uncommon variation of the common three-leaved Clover. This view incorporates phenomena that are chance happenings, a person's place of birth for example, but where there is no uncertainty involved, or where the uncertainty is irrelevant. Within this framework one can differentiate between three different types of luck:

  1. Constitutional luck, that is, luck with factors that cannot be changed. Place of birth and genetic constitution are typical examples.
  2. Circumstantial luck, that is, luck with factors that are haphazardly brought on. Accidents and epidemics are typical examples.
  3. Ignorance luck, that is, luck with factors one does not know about. Examples can be identified only in hindsight. Hindsight bias is the inclination to see events that have occurred as more predictable than they in fact were before they took place

Luck as a fallacy

Another view holds that "luck is probability taken personally". A rationalist approach to luck includes the application of the rules of probability, and an avoidance of unscientific beliefs. In Epistemology and in its broadest sense rationalism is "any view appealing to Reason as a source of knowledge or justification" (Lacey 286 Probability is the likelihood or chance that something is the case or will happen Scientific method refers to bodies of Techniques for investigating phenomena The rationalist feels the belief in luck is a result of poor reasoning or wishful thinking. In Epistemology and in its broadest sense rationalism is "any view appealing to Reason as a source of knowledge or justification" (Lacey 286 Wishful thinking is the formation of Beliefs and making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of by appealing to Evidence or To a rationalist, a believer in luck commits the "post hoc, ergo propter hoc" logical fallacy, which argues that because two events are connected sequentially, they are connected causally as well:

A happens (luck-attracting event or action) and then B happens;
Therefore, A caused B. Post hoc ergo propter hoc, Latin for "after this therefore because (on account of this" is a logical fallacy (of the Questionable cause variety Causality (but not causation) denotes a necessary relationship between one event (called cause and another event (called effect) which is the direct consequence

In this particular perspective, probability is only affected by confirmed causal connections. A brick falling on a person walking below, therefore, is not a function of that person's luck, but is instead the result of a collection of understood (or explainable) occurrences. Statistically, every person walking near the building was just as likely to have the brick fall on them. Statistics is a mathematical science pertaining to the collection analysis interpretation or explanation and presentation of Data.

The gambler's fallacy and inverse gambler's fallacy both explain some reasoning problems in common beliefs in luck. The gambler's fallacy, also known as the Monte Carlo fallacy or the fallacy of the maturity of chances, is the false belief that if deviations from expected behaviour The inverse gambler's fallacy is a term coined by philosopher Ian Hacking to refer to a Formal fallacy of Bayesian inference which is similar to the better They involve denying the unpredictability of random events: "I haven't rolled a seven all week, so I'll definitely roll one tonight". Randomness is a lack of order Purpose, cause, or predictability

Luck is merely an expression noting an extended period of noted outcomes, completely consistent with random walk probability theory. A random walk, sometimes denoted RW, is a Mathematical formalization of a trajectory that consists of taking successive Random steps Wishing one "good luck" will not cause such an extended period, but it expresses positive feelings toward the one -- not necessarily wholly undesirable.

Luck as an essence

There is also a series of spiritual, or supernatural beliefs regarding fortune. Spiritualism is a Religion founded in part on the writings of the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772 The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events These beliefs vary widely from one to another, but most agree that luck can be influenced through spiritual means by performing certain rituals or by avoiding certain circumstances. A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions

One such activity is prayer, a religious practice in which this belief is particularly strong. Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit Many cultures and religions worldwide place a strong emphasis on a person's ability to influence their fortune by ritualistic means, sometimes involving sacrifice, omens or spells. A ritual is a set of actions often thought to have Symbolic value the performance of which is usually prescribed by a Religion or by the Traditions Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning "to make sacred" from Old French, from Latin sacrificium: sacr, "sacred" An omen (also called portent or presage) is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the Future, often signifying the advent of change Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Others associate luck with a strong sense of superstition, that is, a belief that certain taboo or blessed actions will influence how fortune favors them for the future.

Luck can also be a belief in an organization of fortunate and unfortunate events. Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a Proposition or Premise to be true Luck is a form of superstition which is interpreted differently by different individuals. Superstition ( Latin superstitio, literally "standing over" derived perhaps from standing in awe used in Latin as a unreasonable or excessive belief Carl Jung described synchronicity: the "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events". Synchronicity is the Experience of two or more events which are causally unrelated occurring together in a meaningful manner He described coincidences as an effect of a collective unconscious. Coincidence is the noteworthy alignment of two or more events or circumstances without obvious causal connection Collective Unconscious or known to laymen as Collective Subconscious is a term of Analytical psychology, Coined by Carl Jung.

Christian and Islamic religions believe in the will of a supreme being rather than luck as the primary influence in future events. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The degrees of this Divine Providence vary greatly from one person to another; however, most acknowledge providence as at least a partial, if not complete influence on luck. In Theology, Divine Providence, or simply Providence, is the sovereignty superintendence or agency of God over events in people's lives and throughout These religions, in their early development, accommodated many traditional practices. Each, at different times, accepted omens and practiced forms of ritual sacrifice in order to divine the will of their supreme being or to influence divine favoritism. An omen (also called portent or presage) is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the Future, often signifying the advent of change Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning "to make sacred" from Old French, from Latin sacrificium: sacr, "sacred" The concept of "Divine Grace" as it is described by believers closely resembles what is referred to as "luck" by others. In Christianity, divine Grace refers to the sovereign favour of God for humankind — especially in regard to Salvation — irrespective of actions

Mesoamerican religions, such as the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas, had particularly strong beliefs regarding the relationship between rituals and luck. Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican Civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas In these cultures, human sacrifice (both of willing volunteers and captured enemies) was seen as a way to please the gods and earn favor for the city offering the sacrifice. The Mayans also believed in blood offerings, where men or women wanting to earn favor with the gods, to bring about good luck, would cut themselves and bleed on the gods' altar.

Many traditional African practices, such as voodoo and hoodoo, have a strong belief in superstition. Hoodoo is a form of predominantly African-American traditional folk magic. Some of these religions include a belief that third parties can influence an individual's luck. Shamans and witches are both respected yet feared, based on their ability to cause good or bad fortune for those in villages near them. Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers

Luck as a placebo

Some encourage the belief in luck as a false idea, but which may produce positive thinking, and alter one's responses for the better. Placebo is a substance or procedure a patient accepts as medicine or therapy but which has no specific therapeutic activity Attitude is a hypothetical construct that represents an individual's like or dislike for an item Others, like Jean Paul Sartre and Sigmund Freud, feel a belief in luck has more to do with a locus of control for events in one's life, and the subsequent escape from personal responsibility. Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (21 June 1905 &ndash 15 April 1980 commonly known simply as Jean-Paul Sartre (ʒɑ̃ pol saʁtʁə was a French Sigmund Freud (ˈziːkmʊnt ˈfʁɔʏt born Sigismund Shlomo Freud (May 6 1856 &ndash September 23 1939 was an Austrian Psychiatrist who founded Locus of control is a term in Psychology which refers to a person's belief about what causes the good or bad results in their life either in general or in a specific area such According to this theory, one who ascribes their travails to "bad luck" will be found upon close examination to be living risky lifestyles. Risk is a Concept that denotes the precise probability of specific eventualities The term lifestyle was originally coined by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler in 1929

If "good" and "bad" events occur at random to everyone, believers in good luck will experience a net gain in their fortunes, and vice versa for believers in bad luck. This is clearly likely to be self-reinforcing. Thus, although untrue, a belief in good luck may actually be an adaptive meme. A meme (miːm consists of any idea or behavior that can pass from one person to another by learning or imitation

Numerology

Main article: Numerology

Most cultures consider some numbers to be lucky or unlucky. Numerology is any of many Systems Traditions or Beliefs in a mystical or Esoteric relationship between Numbers and physical Numerology is any of many Systems Traditions or Beliefs in a mystical or Esoteric relationship between Numbers and physical This is found to be particularly strong in Asian cultures, where the obtaining of "lucky" telephone numbers, automobile license plate numbers, and household addresses are actively sought, sometimes at great monetary expense. A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of numbers used to call from one Telephone line to another in a Telephone network. A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a Motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes An address is a Code and abstract concept expressing the fixed location of a home business or other building on the earth's surface Money is anything that is generally accepted as Payment for Goods and services and repayment of Debts. Numerology, as it relates to luck, is closer to an art than to a science, yet numerologists, astrologists or psychics may disagree. Numerology is any of many Systems Traditions or Beliefs in a mystical or Esoteric relationship between Numbers and physical It is interrelated to astrology, and to some degree to parapsychology and spirituality and is based on converting virtually anything material into a pure number, using that number in an attempt to detect something meaningful about reality, and trying to predict or calculate the future based on lucky numbers. Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems Parapsychology is a discipline that seeks to demonstrate the existence and causes of Psychic abilities and life after death using the Scientific method Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality In Dimensional analysis, a dimensionless quantity (or more precisely a quantity with the dimensions of 1) is a Quantity without any Physical units Numerology is folkloric by nature and started when humans first learned to count. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Through human history it was, and still is, practiced by many cultures of the world from traditional fortunetelling to on-line psychic reading. There are many variations of numerology - most are based on the Chaldean System or the Pythagorean System. Latest modern methods such as Formalogy also are in use. Most are contemporary systems of advanced numerology and rely on leading principals of numerology and related mystical traditions observed by Ancestral Armenians, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Persians, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans.

Luck in Religion

Judaism and Christianity

External links

Dictionary

luck

-noun

  1. Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence.
  2. A superstitious feeling that brings fortune or success.

-verb

  1. (intransitive) To succeed by chance
  2. (intransitive) To rely on luck.
  3. (transitive) To carry out relying on luck.
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