Chance

What Dominique Pagani says

Dominique Pagani distinguishes two senses of chance. In the ordinary sense, chance arises from the crossing of two necessities and means the absence of an end. In the strong or radical sense, it means the absence of law, a chance that would lie at the heart of being1. He takes up this distinction again in 2021, in almost identical terms2. In his view, quantum theory does not make chance triumph: on the contrary, chance retreats even further there3. He contrasts chance with repetition: what repeats itself contains necessity, so repetition excludes chance4. He applies this idea to Nerval. The writer seems to wander at random, but voice and memories make this apparent chance collapse5. He links this approach to Leibniz and Freud: finding order where there seems to be none, and necessity where people speak of chance6.

1. 1#4.5 Angélique (de Nerval)12 Feb 2018 · 1:10:03
2. 29 #23 "C'est réglé comme du papier à musique !" • Bach • Nerval • Lévi-Strauss9 Jun 2021 · 40:27
3. 3#4.5 Angélique (de Nerval)12 Feb 2018 · 1:13:50
4. 49 #23 "C'est réglé comme du papier à musique !" • Bach • Nerval • Lévi-Strauss9 Jun 2021 · 43:31
5. 5#4 Nomade et sédentaire - Le cas Nerval4 Oct 2021 · 2:11
6. 6#4 Nomade et sédentaire - Le cas Nerval4 Oct 2021 · 37:42

Summary produced automatically from 6 of the passages below, to be reviewed; the numbers link to the moment in the session.