“Among all the occurrences possible in the universe the a priori probability of any particular one of them verges upon zero. Yet the universe exists; particular events must take place in it, the probability of which (before the event) was infinitesimal. At the present time we have no legitimate grounds for either asserting or denying that life got off to but a single start on earth, and that, as a consequence, before it appeared its chances of occurring were next to nil. ... Destiny is written concurrently with the event, not prior to it... The universe was not pregnant with life nor the biosphere with man. Our number came up in the Monte Carlo game. Is it surprising that, like the person who has just made a million at the casino, we should feel strange and a little unreal?”
Quote by Jacques Monod
Work
Chance and necessity: an essay on the natural philosophy of modern biology
This essay critically examines the concepts of chance and necessity in the context of modern biology. It investigates how these forces shape the evolution of life on Earth, offering a philosophical perspective on the natural processes that govern biological systems. more
Author
Jacques Monod
A renowned biologist and French Nobel laureate, Jacques Monod is known for his research in genetics and molecular biology. He made significant contributions to the discovery of gene regulation and the genetic code. more
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