Determinism: meaning, definitions and examples
๐ฎ
determinism
[ dษชหtษหrmษชnษชzษm ]
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:
๐ต๐น determinismo
๐ฎ๐ณ เคจเคฟเคฏเคคเคฟ
๐ฉ๐ช Determinismus
๐ฎ๐ฉ determinisme
๐บ๐ฆ ะดะตัะตัะผัะฝัะทะผ
๐ต๐ฑ determinizm
๐ฏ๐ต ๆฑบๅฎ่ซ
๐ซ๐ท dรฉterminisme
๐ช๐ธ determinismo
๐น๐ท belirlenimcilik
๐ฐ๐ท ๊ฒฐ์ ๋ก
๐ธ๐ฆ ุงูุญุชู ูุฉ
๐จ๐ฟ determinismus
๐ธ๐ฐ determinizmus
๐จ๐ณ ๅณๅฎ่ฎบ
๐ธ๐ฎ determinizem
๐ฎ๐ธ รกkvรถrun
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะดะตัะตัะผะธะฝะธะทะผ
๐ฌ๐ช แแแขแแ แแแแแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ determinizm
๐ฒ๐ฝ 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.