- See also RLC (Rejecting Leaving to Chance)
- A concept from my Superprof philosophy/ethics tutor
Gemini summary
Based on the document provided,
ILC stands for Implicitly Leaving to Chance. It is one of three potential paths a person can take when making decisions, and it is described as the default way most people live before consciously choosing an alternative.
Here is a summary of what Path ILC involves:
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Continuing as Before: A person on Path ILC carries on making decisions according to the habits, desires, beliefs, and values that have been instilled in them by their unique genes, upbringing, and experiences. They might think, “This is how I am. I am fine as I am,” or simply avoid questioning their own methods.
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Decisions Determined by Chance Upbringing: The way a person on Path ILC thinks and acts is a direct result of the specific environment and community they happened to grow up in. For example, the character Lucy initially uses the incorrect mathematical formula
a2+b2=c3 and acts only to maximize her own pleasure simply because that is what her family and community do. If chance (a coin toss) had placed her with a different family, she would have adopted their different beliefs and ethical systems instead.
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Lack of Deep Questioning: This path is characterized by a lack of deep, fundamental questioning about why one holds certain goals or values. While a person on this path may use rational calculation to achieve a goal (like figuring out the most profitable way to be a criminal), they do not question the goal itself (e.g., maximizing personal pleasure), which they only hold by chance.
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Superficial Learning: Any learning that occurs on Path ILC is typically instrumental—done only to serve the goals and values the person already happens to have. It involves copying, parroting, and rote learning rather than a deep, substantive understanding.
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An Ungrounded Life: Ultimately, the document argues there is no qualitative distinction between Implicitly Leaving to Chance (ILC) and Explicitly Leaving to Chance (ELC). Both result in a life that is “tossed by the winds of chance, built on shifting sands, lacking ultimate purpose, meaning, significance, self-determination and autonomy”.