The human condition as we know it is characterised by uncertainty. It is this which permits us to see others as a font of joy and consolation, in as much as we all share the prospect of being claimed by Providence without notice. We all know, in other words, that taking life for granted is a folly which results in guilt and regret.

The human condition as we know it is characterised by uncertainty. It is this which permits us to see others as a font of joy and consolation, in as much as we all share the prospect of being claimed by Providence without notice. We all know, in other words, that taking life for granted is a folly which results in guilt and regret.