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Indeterminacy: meaning, definitions and examples

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indeterminacy

 

[ ˌɪn.dɪˈtɜː.mɪ.nə.si ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

philosophy

The concept that certain aspects of reality are inherently uncertain or unknowable, often associated with postmodern philosophy.

Synonyms

ambiguity, uncertainty, vagueness

Examples of usage

  • Her argument was based on the indeterminacy of language, highlighting the limitations of communication.
  • The indeterminacy of quantum mechanics suggests that the position and momentum of a particle cannot be simultaneously known with absolute precision.
Context #2 | Noun

physics

The principle in quantum mechanics that the exact state of a particle cannot be simultaneously determined due to the nature of quantum systems.

Synonyms

indeterminateness, uncertainty, unpredictability

Examples of usage

  • The indeterminacy of electron position and momentum is a fundamental aspect of quantum theory.
  • Heisenberg's uncertainty principle is a famous expression of indeterminacy in physics.

Translations

Translations of the word "indeterminacy" in other languages:

🇵🇹 indeterminação

🇮🇳 अनिश्चितता

🇩🇪 Unbestimmtheit

🇮🇩 ketidakpastian

🇺🇦 невизначеність

🇵🇱 nieokreśloność

🇯🇵 不確定性 (ふかくていせい)

🇫🇷 indétermination

🇪🇸 indeterminación

🇹🇷 belirsizlik

🇰🇷 불확정성 (불확정성)

🇸🇦 عدم التحديد

🇨🇿 neurčitost

🇸🇰 neurčitosť

🇨🇳 不确定性 (bù què dìng xìng)

🇸🇮 nedoločenost

🇮🇸 óákveðni

🇰🇿 белгісіздік

🇬🇪 გაურკვევლობა

🇦🇿 müəyyənliksiz

🇲🇽 indeterminación

Etymology

The term 'indeterminacy' originated in the mid-20th century, primarily in the fields of philosophy and physics. In philosophy, it was popularized by thinkers like Jacques Derrida and Richard Rorty, who explored the limits of language and knowledge. In physics, the concept of indeterminacy became central to quantum mechanics, challenging classical notions of determinism. Today, indeterminacy continues to be a key theme in discussions about uncertainty and unpredictability in various disciplines.

See also: determinability, determinable, determination, determine, determined, determinedly, determiner, determinist, indeterminate, indeterminateness, predetermine, predetermined, undetermined.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #23,000, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.