Work

An Account of Luck, Fortune, and Fate

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Luck is one of our most important concepts. In this article, I first argue that extant accounts of luck are deeply flawed. I then argue for a hybrid account of luck that is based around the difference between skill‐based and non‐skill‐based events. This distinction helps us understand the relationships between luck, (mis)fortune, non‐agential chance, and fate. My account can also make sense of several difficult cases—for example, fair versus rigged lottery wins, the accidental versus non‐accidental discovery of buried treasure, luck in athletic achievement, and constitutive luck.

Source: Philosophy and Phenomenological Research

DOI: 10.1111/phpr.70119

Author: Jesse Hill

Institution: Lingnan University

Language: English

Topic: Philosophical Ethics and Theory

Subfield: Philosophy

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,900

Funder: Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee