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Coincidence may be described as the chance encounter of…

“Coincidence may be described as the chance encounter of two unrelated causal chains which-miraculously, it seems-merge into a significant event. It provides the neatest paradigm of the bisociation of previously separate contexts, engineered by fate. Coincidences are puns of destiny. In the pun…” quote by Arthur Koestler
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“Coincidence may be described as the chance encounter of two unrelated causal chains which-miraculously, it seems-merge into a significant event. It provides the neatest paradigm of the bisociation of previously separate contexts, engineered by fate. Coincidences are puns of destiny. In the pun, two strings of thought are tangled into one acoustic knot; in the coincidental happening, two strings of events are knitted together by invisible hands.”

Arthur Koestler

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Coincidences link unrelated causes, creating meaningful events that feel like destiny’s jokes.

In simple terms: Unexpected links create significant outcomes.

Key Takeaway

Embrace unexpected connections.

Themes

coincidence creativity serendipity

Mood

curious thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • problem solving
  • artistic inspiration
  • scientific discovery
  • networking

Key Concepts

bisociation complex systems

Questions to Reflect On

  • When have you turned a coincidence into insight?
  • How do you distinguish meaningful links from random noise?
A Different Perspective

Not all coincidences are useful; pattern‑seeking can mislead.

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