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.
Author Biography:
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.
Choose a destination to see accurate shipping times, delivery options, pricing and product availability.
Afterpay logo
Shop now. Pay later. Always interest‑free.
Swing through the checkout with Afterpay.Get your order now, pay in four fortnightly payments.
Afterpay offers simple payment plans for online shoppers, instantly at checkout.Buy what you want today, pay for it over time. Interest free, with no additional fees if you pay on
time.
1
Select Afterpay as your payment method
Use your existing payment card
2
Complete your checkout in seconds
No long forms, instant approval
3
Get your items just as fast as always
Your order ships straight away
4
Pay over four payments, interest free
Enjoy now, pay later
How it works
Simply select Afterpay as your payment method in the checkout or when picking up your items from the Mighty Ape distribution centre,
and enter your details at Afterpay to complete your order
Your payment schedule will be shown in the checkout, and emailed to you
If you are a new Afterpay customer, the first payment will be made at the time of purchase, with
remaining payments over the next 6 weeks
Once you have been an Afterpay customer for 6 weeks, on subsequent orders you may be eligible to
make your first payment in 14 days, with final payment in 8 weeks
If you need to return your items for a refund, the payment plan can be cancelled
If you fail to make a payment, you will be charged a late payment fee of $10 with a further $7
fee added 7 days later if the payment is still unpaid