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In a recent editorial concerning the tragic accident of New Jersey's governor, Jon S. Corzine, The Press of Atlantic City made the following sweeping philosophical statement:
"But that's the way life is — random."
It is not at all clear to me that, indeed, life is random.
Perhaps they confuse randomness, an objective quality, with unpredictability, a subjective quality.
If life is truly random, then the state law referred to in the editorial, requiring the use of seatbelts by drivers and passengers in moving motor vehicles, would seem misplaced. Why wear a seatbelt if you may be prone to random accidents?
I'm not at all sure that car accidents are the result of randomness: think of the many preventable accidents caused by cell phone usage due to inadequately enforced state laws barring the use of those devices while driving. Carelessness, lack of experience, even poor eyesight may cause accidents, but randomness?
If life is truly random, it would appear that faith in God---purposiveness---is useless. Randomness would contradict the very premise of Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life. Of course, we could conceive of God as some sort of universal gambler, but I don't think that's many people's idea of a higher power.
If life is random, the social sciences would be absurd. Why study criminals if crime is simply random? Why pay a psychologist to provide behavioral insights if those observations can not lead to behavioral change? Why study educational methods and pedagogy if learning is merely random?
These questions all require serious, thoughtful responses. But the profound statement---life is random---deserves more scrutiny too.
For the AC Press editorial (Saturday, April14, 2007) see:
