The Michael Shermer Show

How Much Credit Do You Deserve for Your Life?

We tend to explain success by looking at what people did right, while overlooking everyone who made the same choices and failed. Philosopher Duncan Pritchard joins Michael Shermer to discuss his book, Tempting Fate: A Philosophical Guide to Risk, Luck, and a Meaningful Life, and how to make decisions when even the best preparation can't guarantee a good outcome. Duncan Pritchard is UC Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Irvine. He works mainly in epistemology, and has published widely in this area, including the application of epistemological ideas to such domains as religion, law, and cognitive science. His new book is Tempting Fate: A Philosophical Guide to Risk, Luck, and a Meaningful Life.