Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) wrote extensively but the structure of his thoughts is sometimes disrupted. The reason is not difficult to fathom. He did not have a word processor and it was hard for him to edit his handwritten texts. In this respect, he was facing the same problem as any other author during the Renaissance. Nonetheless, his essays remain entertaining even when he goes into tangents. I have reread Montaigne through the years and red-marked my favourite essays. Despite the vast variety of subjects, there is one idea that permeates them all, namely, the idea that living according to reason is superior to any other lifestyle. Montaigne’s essay “Fortune is often met in the pursuit of reason” constitutes the best example of this principle. It gives a presentation of the advantages of living according to reason. On the one hand, reason leads to better decisions that, more often than not, lead to better results. On the other hand, even in times of adversity, reason will tilt the odds in your favour. You may suffer occasionally, but less intensely than foolish people. The key question addressed by Montaigne in “Fortune is often met in the pursuit of reason” is the extent to which we can control our life and happiness through reason. In other words, he asks whether luck plays a larger role than planning in the outcome. Montaigne supplies historical evidence proving his point. In no way is he affirming that reason is all-powerful, but he does say that reason gives us the best possible guidance. Bad luck can hit us even with the best preparations, but in those cases, the damage will be limited. For instance, reason should prompt people to diversify their risks. If you are a merchant, you should seek to acquire many clients, so that you are not dependent on just a few of them. In your social life, you should aim at acquiring a sizeable number of friends, so that you are not devastated if you lose a few of them. Montaigne presents his advice as follows “It is pleasant and profitable to have many iron bars in the fire, and keep several projects going at once because if one project fails, another one might succeed.” In addition, reason should prompt individuals to maintain an adequate margin of safety in their projects. You do not want to invest all your resources in one project, especially if there are high risks involved. Bad luck can hit anyone any time. We are to remain prudent if we want to ensure our survival and peace of mind. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/practical-examples-of-michel-de-montaignes-thoughts/