The Origins of Scientific Originality in the Renaissance

Cardano was a 16th century mathematician who wrote about algebra. His Great Art is revealing as concerns ideas of scientific originality and priority in the 16th century. He speculates about the connection between fate and luck, expressing doubt that the order of the universe would bother to affect a card game. But he also expresses a certain fatalism, suggesting that the outcome of a game of chance may be settled in advance so it makes no difference what you do.