[hoprocker]

> Perhaps the most irritating aspect of the phrase "everything happens for a reason" > is that it is a truism from a scientific point of view

I see where you're going (and you're responding directly to the stated pointless platitude), but I'd inject here consideration about using "reason" vs using "cause"; more specifically, "reason" suggests to me something intended, whereas "cause" says that something happened that led to this happened, personal intents aside. </twocents>