Accidents Quote by Adam Clarke
“It is strictly and philosophically true in Nature and reason that there is no such thing as chance or accident; it being evident that these words do not signify anything really existing, anything that is truly an agent or the cause of any event; but they signify merely men's ignorance of the real an immediate cause.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy, 1764
The quote argues that what we call chance or accident is simply ignorance of the true immediate cause of events.
In simple terms: Chance is just unknown cause.
Key Takeaway
Seek underlying causes.
Themes
philosophy
causality
knowledge
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- scientific research
- historical analysis
- personal decision making
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
determinism
epistemology
metaphysics
Questions to Reflect On
- What causes do we overlook in daily life?
- How does acknowledging causality affect responsibility?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook genuine randomness in complex systems.
![“The will and the energy of God is the effective and foreseeing cause of every time and place and age, and of every nature. The will is the reason (logos) of the intellectual soul, which [reason] is within us, inasmuch as it is the faculty belonging to it which is endowed with freedom of action…” quote by The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a88/the-church-fathers-1438_freedom_the-will-and-the-energy-of-god-is-the-ef_2750145.jpg)
