The very early stages of an aphorism on chance (I’ll update with more as I write):
How does a bird know a branch can stand its weight? Certainly not all branches can hold the weight of an eagle or an owl, or, for that matter, a crow or pidgin. One might think there is something calculated by the bird about how much weighs in comparison to the thickness of the branch, but these things would mean the bird is much more capable mentally then we give them credit for in modern science. The furthest one might be able to wander is that it is instinctual to some degree. It would seem, then, that the bird merely guesses, or takes a chance as to whether or not the branch will hold thus giving him a perch, or he will break the branch and tumble towards the ground.
Human interaction is much the same way as the bird and the branch. We learn from trial and error (chance) in all kinds of situations. For example, the relationships or interactions we have with other individuals are governed by a “physics” of sorts much the way the bird and the branch are governed; we call these “physics” social norms.
Tags: Philosophy