Coincidentification

The act of explaining away any pattern, correlation, or meaningful connection as mere coincidence. Coincidentification dismisses evidence of causality, synchronicity, or design as “just chance,” often without statistical or logical analysis. It is common in hyper‑skeptic circles, where any suggestion of non‑random structure is met with “that’s a coincidence.” Critics argue that coincidentification is a form of cognitive laziness: it avoids investigating the pattern. It also ignores that coincidences can be real and informative (e.g., rare alignments that signal causation). It is the opposite of apophenia.

Coincidentification Example: “He coincidentified the repeated failures of the bridge as ‘just bad luck,’ ignoring the engineering reports. His dismissal delayed repairs until the collapse. Coincidence was not a safety strategy.”

Coincidentification by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026