Determinism: meaning, definitions and examples

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determinism

 

[ dษชหˆtษœหrmษชnษชzษ™m ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

philosophy belief

Determinism is the philosophical concept that every event or state of affairs, including every human decision and action, is the outcome of preceding events in accordance with the natural laws. In a deterministic framework, the future is fully determined by the past and the present, implying that everything that happens is inevitable and could be predicted if one had complete knowledge of the present conditions. This idea contrasts with the concept of free will, where individuals have the capacity to make choices independent of any prior state. Determinism raises ethical questions about accountability and moral responsibility, as it challenges the notion that individuals have control over their actions.

Synonyms

causalism, fate, necessitarianism, predestination

Examples of usage

  • The theory of determinism suggests that our choices are influenced by prior experiences.
  • In the context of determinism, every event in the universe is caused by previous events.
  • Philosophers debate the implications of determinism on free will.
  • Scientific determinism posits that, given complete knowledge, future events can be predicted.

Translations

Translations of the word "determinism" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น determinismo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคจเคฟเคฏเคคเคฟ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Determinismus

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ determinisme

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะดะตั‚ะตั€ะผั–ะฝั–ะทะผ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ determinizm

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆฑบๅฎš่ซ–

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท dรฉterminisme

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ determinismo

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท belirlenimcilik

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๊ฒฐ์ •๋ก 

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุงู„ุญุชู…ูŠุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ determinismus

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ determinizmus

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ†ณๅฎš่ฎบ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ determinizem

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ รกkvรถrun

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะดะตั‚ะตั€ะผะธะฝะธะทะผ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ“แƒ”แƒขแƒ”แƒ แƒ›แƒ˜แƒœแƒ˜แƒ–แƒ›แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ determinizm

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ determinismo

Etymology

The term 'determinism' comes from the Latin verb 'determinare,' meaning 'to set limits, to define.' The concept has its roots in ancient philosophical debates, particularly among the Stoics, who believed in a rational order to the universe. The modern usage began to take shape in the 17th century with thinkers such as Baruch Spinoza and later, in the 18th century, with David Hume, who explored the implications of causality and the predictability of events. The term became more widely used in the 19th century alongside advancements in science, particularly in physics, with figures like Pierre-Simon Laplace proposing that, given the state of the universe at any point in time, future states could be determined. This alignment with scientific rationale has continued to evolve, provoking further discussions in philosophy, particularly related to free will, ethics, and the nature of human consciousness.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,324, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.