Coïncidence

Coïncidence is the occurrence of two or more events that appear meaningfully related but do not have an obvious causal connection. Coïncidences are often surprising and can occur across any domain of everyday life.

Origin and terminology: The term derives from Latin coincidere, meaning "to fall together," via Old French and English. In English, coincidence was established in the early modern period to describe events that are simultaneous or related without implying causation.

Explanations: Probability theory shows that coincidences are to be expected when many events are observed; large samples increase the chance of seemingly related outcomes. Cognitive biases contribute as well: humans tend to recognize patterns, remember remarkable alignments, and infer significance from rare, salient events (apophenia, pareidolia). Selection effects and memory bias can amplify the perceived frequency of coincidences.

Variants and interpretation: Some thinkers distinguish veridical coincidences, where events are truly independent yet align, from meaningful coincidences or synchronicities, a term popularized by Carl Jung. In scientific contexts, coincidences are generally treated as ordinary probabilistic events unless evidence for an underlying causal mechanism is found; in philosophy and spirituality they may be interpreted as signs or messages.

Examples: Common illustrations include meeting a former classmate in a distant country or thinking of a friend only to receive a message from them. In statistics, such events are evaluated by probability and sampling considerations rather than by their narrative significance.