Chance

Chance (through the French from Low Lat. cadentia), in its original and strict meaning, may be defined as that which determines the course of events, in the absence of law, ordinary causation, or providence. Strictly speaking, it is an idea which few would now be disposed to admit as corresponding to anything which really exists; the religious mind excluding it as inconsistent with the belief in the divine government, and the philosophical mind rejecting it as inconsistent with a recognition of universal laws of causation. As a word, however, it has always been, and always will be popularly accepted; and its use is correct so far as we overlook, or choose for the moment to throw out of view, the more universal connection of events, and regard them as their emergence, on a superficial view, appears to be determined. It is clear that chance, being only legitimate as an expression in popular parlance, is a term which is much too indefinite to admit of any kind of measurement. What is sometimes called the Doctrine of Chances is more properly the Theory of Probabilities, and will be dealt with under the head of PROBABILITY. For games of chance, see GAMING.