I'm reading a book about probability, and I read a sentence:
Of course, probability still remains an extremely popular part of mathematics because of its applicability to gambling, which continues to be an extremely popular human endeavor.
And I've searched the following dictionaries:
- Google translate: An attempt to achieve a goal.
- Dictionary.cambridge.org: An effort or attempt to do something.
I guess in here it means similar to the word "hobby", but I'm not sure, and is it a positive word here?
Best Answer
The expression "human endeavor" has a meaning of its own, perhaps best defined through usage, as in this quote from Albert Einstein:
Perhaps we can say that a "human endeavor" is one in which humans strive to achieve something of significance, or something of significance which can only be achieved via human intelligence, ingenuity, and/or willpower.
Other examples:
In your example (as Lambie mentions) the expression is likely sarcastic, since gambling is not normally considered a significant human achievement.