Aristotle on Luck: Physics II.4–5

Panos Dimas

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Chapter 9 Aristotle on Luck

Physics II.4–5

In: New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

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Panos Dimas

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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 186–204

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004751149_010

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Abstract

Aristotle devotes three chapters of Physics II, namely four to six, to argue that ‘τύχη’, translated here—and often—as “luck”, is a cause (as is also the “αὐτόματον”, which though is not discussed in the present study). Modern commentators doubt that Aristotle is sincere when he claims that luck is aitia, but nothing in Physics II 4–6 suggests that he dedicates the three central chapters of Book II to argue for a claim he does not believe is true. On the contrary, before explaining in chapters five and six how luck and the αὐτόματον are causes, he devotes chapter four to discussing evidence that luck must be considered a cause. He draws attention to the fact that ordinary people consider it to be such, and, more importantly, he points out that even thinkers whose conceptual scheme has no room for it do nonetheless appeal to it in their accounts. By claiming that luck is a cause and explaining why this is so, Aristotle lends further support to his overall account of causation and the centrality of the final cause in it, or so I claim. In addition to showing that Aristotle is committed to the claim that luck is properly to be regarded a cause, the aim of the present study is to examine his argument for this claim and to explain how luck is an indelible part of Aristotle’s overall account of causation.

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New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

In Honour of Paul Kalligas

Series: Studies in Platonism, Neoplatonism, and the Platonic Tradition, Volume: 35

Cover New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004751149

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 26 Feb 2026

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- Philosophy

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Chapter 9 Aristotle on Luck

Physics II.4–5

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New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

In Honour of Paul Kalligas

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