The Mathematical Nature of Fate and Fortune

In this article, I shall attempt to outline some of the more astonishing aspects of the fortune-telling systems that I have studied.

Fate and Fortune follow mathematical laws

Once again, there is entirely no reason for fate and fortune to be describable or predictable mathematically -- they have no reason to be scientific at all.  Isn't it enough for them to be mere superstitions?

However, the fact is that these fortune-telling systems have survived and endured the test of time -- for millennia in some, much longer than many scientific theories.  The fact that there are still many active practitioners using these systems indicates that they may not be mere superstitions, and that predictions generated by these ancient models may actually be correct more times than randomly justifiable.

Many systems following extremely similar laws

Similar as to mathematical constructs; of course the actual terminologies will be vastly different.

This fact is expected if there is one underlying Equation of Fate that all these systems are attempt to model, albeit in different ways.

The Equation of Fate is cyclical

For almost all systems of fortune-telling, the mathematical models are cyclical.

In other words, the phase space trajectories of fortune dynamics are usually limited cycles or tori, and repeats after a certain number of years (e.g. 600 years for Four Pillars and 120 years or 600 years for Ziwei Numbers).  Fate definitions, for the most part, follow the same trajectories, albeit at a different time scale.  Certain systems, such as western astrology, are tied directly with celestial movements and thus completely cyclical.

Now this is an astonishing fact, as there is entirely no necessity for the Equation of Fate to be cyclical.  It can easily take the form of a non-cyclical function and the differences it will make on lives and fortunes may not be altogether apparent.

The fact that fate and fortune follow cyclical mathematical laws is probably the reason behind much of ancient fortune-telling to base their modelling on celestial movements -- which are cyclical, accurate and the best time-keeping pieces in ancient times.  Systems which are not celestial-based may have terms and names based on stars (e.g. Ziwei Numbers), showing a fondness of ancient scholars to equate cyclical natures with celestial phenomena.  Of course, some systems (e.g. Western Astrology) are purely based on celestial movements.

Fate and Fortune follow the same mathematical model

In most of the fortune-telling systems I have studied, the same mathematical equations are used to calculate fate and fortune, although usually the time scales involved are different.

For instance, the Four Pillars equates one month of fate to 10 years of fortune; Ziwei Numbers equates two hours of fate to 10 years of fortune; western astrology use exact times (i.e. the same time scale for fate and fortune).

Once more, this is a shocking fact as there is absolutely no reason why fortune should follow the exact rules as fate, both of them being different things, one of them static and the other dynamic.

I can give a conjecture towards this -- there must be certain deep connections between fate and fortune themselves, perhaps even different manifestations of the same force.  Perhaps the Equation of Fate is fractal and show self-similarity in time scale -- that fortune is merely a longer-time manifestation of a dynamical fate.

And if that is so, and the Equation of Fate is fractal, then why should fate and fortune be predictable at all -- they should all be different depending on how accurate one is to measure the time of birth.  Obviously, for fortune-telling to work, the equation must be stable in time aggregates, but shows self-similarity with regards to time scale.

It is also possible that the Equation of Fate exhibits chaotic properties -- in particular sensitive dependence on initial conditions, causing the life trajectories of two people born minutes apart to diverge more and more through life.  If such is the case, then the phase space trajectory of the Equation of Fate may trend to a strange attractor.

Fate is set at the time of birth

This much is public knowledge.  Nobody, however, seems to appreciate how remarkable this fact is.  Fortune-telling systems across times and cultures, crossing east and west, all base a person's fate upon the exact time of his birth.

What makes the time of birth such a unique measurement point?  Why not the time of conception (although not entirely ruled out)?  Why not a person's weight, complexion, or other physical measurements?  These are still unanswered questions.

Some thing must have flowed, like a constant river, describable with mathematics, that leaves its mark on a person upon the exact moment of time he/she enters the living world.

Another unanswered question is the inconvenient question of time-zones and latitude.  Fortune-telling systems solve this timing issue in different ways, some not at all.