Existence Quote by Plotinus
““To make the existence and coherent structure of this Universe depend upon automatic activity and upon chance is against all good sense.””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Enneads, Book V, 3rd century CE
Relying on randomness and automatic processes to explain the universe contradicts rational understanding.
In simple terms: Chance and automatic activity clash with reason.
Key Takeaway
Seek logical explanations.
Themes
philosophy
science
reason
cosmology
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
theoretical
When to use this quote
- academic discussion
- scientific research
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
determinism
causality
skepticism
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you accept randomness in explanations?
- How does this view affect belief in order?
A Different Perspective
Randomness can be a useful model in some contexts.
![“To get our universe, with all of its potential for complexities or any kind of potential for any kind of life-form, everything has to be precisely defined on this knife edge of improbability…. [Y]ou have to see the hands of a creator who set the parameters to be just so because the creator was…” quote by Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cd0/francis-collins-5281_anthropic-principle_to-get-our-universe-with-all-of-its-pote_1097854.jpg)
