Some believe that fate rules our lives, while others dismiss the idea outright. Fate remains central to many cultural outlooks, and in our age of conflict, climate change, and pandemic, it features conspicuously in debates about the future. A careful examination of this important idea – its background, many meanings, and significance for everyday life – is not only informative and intriguing but also timely.

In Fate and Life Michael Fox confronts the idea of fate head on and demonstrates that how we interpret and apply this concept can make it work for rather than against us. Many discussions characterize fate negatively or as part of the occult, representing it as a supernatural force that stifles our freedom. Fateful ideas have also helped rationalize and promote the persecution of certain groups. But viewed more positively, fate can be understood as the given conditions of existence and the imponderable way certain unanticipated events momentously alter the path we follow over time. Thinking about fate teaches us about who we are, how we see the world, and our evaluation of the possibilities of life.

Fate and Life provides a multicultural and global account of how we talk about the idea of fate, how we use and misuse it, and how it contrasts with notions like destiny and karma. Fox’s original perspective – a breakthrough in philosophy and the history of ideas – shows that fate is supported by experience; it is compatible with our sense of agency and purpose; and it helps us make sense of our lives.

Michael Allen Fox's profile page

Michael Allen Fox is professor emeritus of philosophy at Queen’s University, adjunct professor at the University of New England in Australia, and the author of several books, including Home: A Very Short Introduction and The Remarkable Existentialists.

“Wide-ranging in scope, Fox makes theoretical ideas about fate accessible to the general reader. Chapters on the philosophical aspect of fate, and fate as a tool for social control are particularly intriguing.” Richard J. White, Creighton University

“Fate and Life addresses real-life concerns with how we live today and how our understanding of fate can help us navigate our complex world. Fox makes very good points about how fate can be misused or mis-thought if it allows individuals to shirk responsibility, especially when self-responsibility is needed in this age of pandemics.” Suzie Gibson, Charles Sturt University