The Myth of Luck : Philosophy, Fate, and Fortune (Hardcover)

Acknowledgements 1. Lachesis's Lottery and the History of Luck The Myth of Er Tuche and Fortuna Submission to luck: lucky charms Rebellion against luck: Stoicism Denial of luck: all is fated Luck and gambling 2.Luck and Skill Slaying Laplace's Demon A probability theory of luck Winners and losers Buying hope on credit A skill equation? Problems with probability 3. Fragility and Control Invisible cities of the possible The garden of (logically) forking paths A modal theory of luck Transworld 2000 Lucky necessities A control theory of luck Seances and rubber hands Wimbledon 2012 Synchronic and diachronic luck 4. Moral Luck The Kantian puzzle The Egg of Columbus The accidental Nazi and the museum of medical oddities Equalizing fortune Privilege Essential origins 5. Knowledge and Serendipity Finding Meno Discover ≪ forget The man who sold the Eiffel Tower and other skeptical threats The Overton Window Serendipity Divide and conquer 6. The Irrational Biases of Luck The frame shop Dueling vignettes Optimism vs. pessimism Sailing stones and flying witches Machine gambling Against luck Go luck yourself Notes Bibliography Index