Supervention Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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supervention
[ˌsuːpərˈvɛnʃən ]
Definition
government action
Supervention refers to the act of a higher authority intervening in a matter, particularly in situations involving governance or official decisions. It implies an authoritative intervention that supersedes previous judgments or actions. This term is often used in legal and political contexts to describe an elevated level of interference or impact imposed by a governing body. Supervention can significantly alter the course of decisions or policies that are already in place.
Synonyms
interference, intervention, override, overruling, supersession.
Examples of usage
- The supervention of federal law changed the state's policy.
- Legislation faced supervention from international agreements.
- The supervention by the local authority restored order.
- Supervention was necessary due to the escalating crisis.
Translations
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Interesting Facts
Philosophy
- In philosophical discussions, supervention is often related to how higher-level properties depend on lower-level facts.
- This concept is crucial in debates surrounding mental states and their relationship with physical states in dualism versus physicalism.
- Philosophers like David Lewis have discussed supervention in the context of modality and its implications for the nature of existence.
Science
- In biology, supervention can describe how certain traits may manifest suddenly due to genetic changes or environmental triggers.
- In environmental studies, a supervention event might refer to how an ecological system responds suddenly to a climatic shift.
- The term is also used in medicine, particularly in understanding how symptoms might appear as a result of an underlying condition.
Sociology
- Sociologists might use supervention to describe sudden social changes, like shifts in public opinion after major events.
- This can include movements or revolutions where existing social structures are rapidly altered by an event.
- The concept helps in analyzing how societies adapt to unforeseen challenges, like technological advancements.
Literature
- In literature, supervention often serves as a plot device where a sudden event changes the course of a story.
- Authors like Shakespeare have employed unexpected twists that exemplify the element of supervention, altering character fates.
- Poetry can also use supervention as a theme, with sudden emotional shifts reflecting human experience.
Origin of 'supervention'
Main points about word origin
- Derived from Latin roots: 'super-' meaning 'above' and 'venire' meaning 'to come', literally translating to 'to come above'.
- The term has been in use since at least the late 19th century, indicating its long-standing relevance in various fields.
- Related terms include 'intervention', which also implies a change but often has a more targeted aspect.
The word 'supervention' originates from the Latin verb 'supervenire', which means 'to come upon' or 'to arrive on top of'. It combines 'super' (meaning 'above' or 'over') with 'venire' (meaning 'to come'). The term has been used in English since at least the 17th century, initially in legal texts to describe scenarios where a higher authority intervenes in lower jurisdictions. Over time, it has expanded into various fields such as sociology and public administration, highlighting its relevance in discussions about authority and governance. While not commonly used in everyday language, it holds specific importance in academic and professional discourse.