Our world is defined by chance encounters, random fluctuations, and chaos theory. Many – if not most – people make sense of this bewildering state of affairs by either ignoring it, ascribing it to a higher power, or confidently stating that ‘everything happens for a reason.’ To do otherwise, many suggest, leads to nihilism. It doesn’t have to be that way.
In this talk, delivered at Humanists UK Convention 2024, Brian Klaas explains why the world is governed by chaos theory, but that rather than destroying our sense of purpose, it is the bedrock of how we can make sense of the vast improbability of our existence and the awe of the world around us. Brian will show how we can all draw on science and rationality to understand that we control nothing, but influence everything – and that amidst chance, randomness, and uncertainty, everything we do matters.
