When practical reason plays dice

God, said Einstein, does not play dice with the universe. For metaphysical reasons, one may add that he should not or even cannot engage in such activity. Being omniscient, He knows in advance the way the dice will fall; being omnipotent, He can effect whatever outcome he wills. Human beings, however, neither know all nor enjoy full control over what happens in the world. Endowed with theoretical reason, they may strive to attain as much knowledge about the world as they can; but being aware of the frequent failure of cognition, they often have rational grounds for suspending judgment. Equipped with practical reason, human beings plan their behavior in the world; yet faced with the limitations of this power, they cannot always resort to a similar move of suspension. Action is more urgent than judgment, and deferment in the exercise of practical reason is often irrational in a way that avoidance of theoretical judgment is not.