On Chance and Necessity

Abstract

I have not had time to prepare a formal paper and wish to apologise for this, since I had every intention of doing so and it has only been made impossible by a combination of extremely heavy duties and being ill for several months this year. On the other hand, I understand that a number of you have either read the little essay I wrote recently [Chance and Necessity, Knopf, New York (1971)], or at least heard of it. Therefore, I hope that if those who have read it agree or disagree, you can ask me some questions after this presentation. What I would like to do here, is the following. I have taken a few notes at random, which are, of course, on various subjects that I did discuss in the book, and I would like to emphasise a few points.