Birth Lottery
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
The birth lottery, or literally translated as the lottery of birth, is a philosophical argument that since no one can choose the circumstances into which they are born, people should not be held responsible for them (e.g., wealth or poverty). Philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau used this argument. Its modern usage was popularized by political scientists, for example, John Rawls elaborated on this topic in his work A Theory of Justice.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
The birth lottery, or literally translated as the lottery of birth, is a philosophical argument that since no one can choose the circumstances into which they are born, people should not be held responsible for them (e.g., wealth or poverty). Philosophers such as John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau used this argument. Its modern usage was popularized by political scientists, for example, John Rawls elaborated on this topic in his work A Theory of Justice.
Anchor fast decisions
An individual's initial conditions (country, family, genes) are randomly assigned and unrelated to effort, yet they determine the majority of life outcomes; recognizing this undermines the narrative of 'all due to personal effort' and constitutes luck egalitarianism.
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Source support: Explicit
- zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%8A%95%E8%83%8E%E5%BD%A9%E7%A5%A8verified
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