The word "luck" can be defined many different ways. Some definitions are "the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities," "good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance" or "a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person" (dictionary.com)
I often hear people wish one another "good luck" or someone might say, "If it wasn't for back luck, I'd have none at all."
While scripture does teach that "time and chance" befalleth all (Ecclesiastes 9:11), the idea that we're subject to the forces of luck (destiny/fortune) is not scriptural. It also seems that positing luck as a causal factor of the universe clashes with the scientific account of causes and their effects. In simple terms, it's hard for me to understand how stepping on a crack has anything to do with my mom's back, or how encountering a black cat or breaking a mirror affects one's fate. Luck seems to be the kind of thing that dreams are made of.
12 comments:
Duncan,
Appreciate your input. I agree that where theory is concerned, it's difficult to work out the net effect or specific effects of any given cause/set of causes. And while I concede that something likely must occur when I step on a crack, never has the back of my mother cracked because of any step I made on a sidewalk. Nor have I experienced 7 years of bad luck if I cracked or broke a mirror. The two events are not causally related--the belief that they're connected is pure superstition.
Again, I grant that unforeseen occurrences happen with some great frequency. But we'd probably both agree that chance is not some governing principle or quasi-divine power that's controlling our individual destinies.
Use/usage of words changes over time, but superstition is still alive and well. People in Las Vegas (and elsewhere) continue to blow on dice or wear their "lucky shoes" as they look for monetary gain in certain endeavors. Or what about those who play lotteries and think that certain numbers have some kind of magical power? Lastly, how about those who believe in jinxes?
1) interesting use of superstitione. See http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Dsuperstitio
I don't think superstitio (the nominative form) has anything to do with willing, but I could be wrong.
Plutarch (45-120 CE) also penned a work entitled "On Superstition" which is available online.
2) I'm not sure what you mean by "there was no bad luck." The idea of bad luck seems to be an old concept. Black cats, evil eyes (etc) have been considered bad luck for some time. Read Homer also. You'll find moira dishing out both good and bad things to men.
3) funny stuff towards the end of your reply :)
Duncan,
very helpful translations you quote here. As you probably also know, the Douay-Rheims bible gives a literal rendering of the Vulgate. So, Colossians 2:23 (DR):
"Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in superstition and humility, and not sparing the body; not in any honour to the filling of the flesh."
It's a good dissertation that you provide in the link. See pages 2022 for a discussion that sheds light on moira, particularly as the concept is represented in Homer. Reference LSJ for the lexical data on moira.
that should be pages 20-22. :)
Also see the entry for moira in lsj. It sheds light on the historical development of this idea, moira.
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