Thursday, June 13, 2013

Preface To Chance: Thinking Of Chance

Wikipedia, that fine fellow, has five articles related to "chance" but as chance's possible definitions & not chance itself, to wit: indeterminism, contingency, luck, probability, & randomness.  The first two are related to philosophy, & therefore completely over my head, while the last three seem like the things that basically rule my life.  Not just my life!  Yours too.

I wonder if thinking that makes me a philosophical indeterminist or contigencist (I am not sure that's a real world).  I know a philosopher so I think I should ask her.

There is a Chance, Kentucky, but it's an unincorporated community & there's not a lot of information about it.  Perhaps its residents all got together by chance?  That's highly unlikely in Kentucky, where, in any given place, most of the folks know each other & about a quarter of them are related.

(Coincidentally, Chance, Kentucky, is in the same county as Christine, Kentucky.  What are the chances that I'd do two show back-to-back the themes of which would also be the name of two unincorporated towns in the same county in Kentucky?)

Mostly though the meaning of the word "chance" encountered in the show this week will be "an opportunity" or "a possibility."  "Give me one more chance!" or "I don't stand a chance!"  Stuff like that.

There are still lots of songs about chance that I have to listen to before tomorrow's show.  Too many songs, dozens of them, hours of listening.  What are the chances that I'll play your favorite song about chance?  I fear they're quite small!

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