Surprise, surprise, the math major is able to find math even in Boethius.
But seriously, Book V is riddled with mathematical examples. In fact, Book V in totality is set up like a math proof: "If _____, then ______." Boethius starts off by asking whether or not chance is real. Lady Philosophy replies: "If chance is defined as an event produced by random motion without any causal nexus, I would say that there is no such thing as chance, and that apart from signifying the subject matter of our discussion it is a completely meaningless word." Lady Philosophy gives this answer in reference to the spiritual realm (i.e., God), but it is also applicable on the day-to-day human bases (plural of basis. Thank you Nate Carroll for questioning my spelling) as well. Humans cannot be arbitrary; we are biased to certain things even if we aren't consciously aware of them. For example, it's why we rely on computers to shuffle songs on playlists, or we draw Scrabble tiles based on the feel. Even when we don't mean to, we find an order or preference in everything--nothing is truly left up to "chance."
This idea is elaborated on in section II. From here, Lady Philosophy takes the math proof format and uses its train of logic to explain the balance between free-will and fate. I love how she explains that our inability to be arbitrary is a good thing since it is based on our judgement and ultimately on our desire to seek God. If we try to be arbitrary and leave things up to "chance" on our own accord, we are actually enslaving ourselves.
I commented on Wendy and Ethan's posts.
Chance was diffcult for me to understand at times. Yet I do see from a non-Christian perspective that it would be the most logical way of looking at circumstances. It almost seems like a old time way of saying YOLO which in that sense I agree with Lady Philosphy when she says it is meaningless
ReplyDeleteWhen Philosophy says "chance", I would say we're assuming this is from our perspective. If that is true, then would an encounter that I would never expect be an encounter of chance? Math is based upon common knowledge of patterns, algorithms, and processes with every problem containing an answer. So the chances of 2+2=fish are nonexistent because it is common understanding that 2+2 can only equal 4. So when drawing a Scrabble piece, for example, you would never expect to pick the 13th A card (?) when reaching into the pile of randomly stacked cards containing all other 25 letters of the alphabet PLUS the other 12 A's in the pile. That "feel" we get is a perspective prediction on the card that we will draw. We have no idea what that card will be, but we had the choice to choose a different card and receive different outcome.
ReplyDeleteI don't know though, you're in the higher math course. :)
We are bound to buy into a sense of greater cause and effect. Every circumstance can be fabricated into a greater narrative. All life can be viewed as a complex algorithm of causation, however man is a variable that is almost uncontrollable (sovereignty barring). Chance is a fickle thing and man has made his own way in the world.
ReplyDelete