Do Random Events Occur in Our Lives?

There are no coincidences in life; random events do not occur. This needs some clarification, though. Think of the difference between fatalism and determinism. Fatalism claims that we have no effect on any events in our lives; things just happen. A fatalistic view would account for no spontaneity; everything is prearranged.

In determinism, however, every activity is influenced by some deed preceding it. We can and do create our lives; we create with our actions. Every one of our decisions has an effect.

Nothing happens by chance, but everything happens for a reason. We may not always know the reason since a cause may simply be beyond our knowledge, but this is not the same thing as “chance.” There is a reason for every event, and every event is determined by a previous one.