Actually there are so many variables and hidden data/information that trading can be likened to a 4 deck of cards setup, you can never have "all the information" in trading, that would require knowing the thoughts of every individual active trader just for starters, let alone every single nuance and day to day operations of a company, political policy etc
I believe that trading can be gambling or speculation, depending on how good trader you are. If you have no clue about what you are doing you are a gambler. If you have a methodical and proven trading system that makes money year after year you are a speculator. One definition I like is " If the odds are against you you are gambling. If the odds are in your favor you are speculating." Taken to the extreme, everything you do is a gamble by some people's definition. When you drive your car down the road you are gambling that that little yellow line in the center of the road will keep the oncoming drivers from crashing into you. I view trading as intelligent and principled speculation abd I take offence when friends say that I am gambling when I scalp the bond futures market for a living. It's only gambling if you lose.
It's only gambling if you decide to make it such...and such method is likly to have undesired consequences.
If undesired were changed to unknown how would your very first reaction be? Be honest.... what is it that you control? could reaction after the fact alter reality?
It depends if the odds are in your favor. There are many blackjack card counters who have the odds in their favor and have an advantage over the house. I don't consider them gamblers. They have a system that works and can use that to make money. Traders that have a system and experience with markets are not gamblers. People who watch mad money for advice and don't know what market cap means are just gambling their money.
so if you have an "edge" then time itself will make in "not gambling" ? but the pure "unknown" leaves "undesirable" consequences to endure... is the endure part "gambling" ?
Trading results before the fact is not unknown, from experience one has a very good idea of the result to be. If the result to be was unknown, sounds more like boredum trading I like the "be honest..." as if I'd be more inclined to be a blind mouse than a telescopic eye. One controls entrances and exits, bases judgement on LV2, TA, news, etc etc obviously we've all had trades we felt were sure things but the end result was not so favourable. "could reaction after the fact alter reality?" - yes, most certainly. We all miss a trade or didn't do it for some reason but when it does what our initial reaction was, we are all so "of couse that would happen, it was so obvious, I knew that was gonna do that" and so on. - and I see what you're getting at, is it considered gambling if you have put together a profitable method. - there is a reason why gambling has a negative connotation, and as traders, we obviously want to distance ourselves as much as possible from such an association...and that we should.