determinism

determinism
1.
The doctrine that every event has a cause. The usual explanation of this is that for every event, there is some antecedent state, related in such a way that it would break a law of nature for this antecedent state to exist yet the event not to happen. This is a purely metaphysical claim, and carries no implications for whether we can in principle predict the event (see chaos ). The main interest in determinism has been in assessing its implications for free will . However, quantum physics is essentially indeterministic, yet the view that our actions are subject to quantum indeterminacies hardly encourages a sense of our own responsibility for them. See also dilemma of determinism, libertarianism (<
2.
(biological) The view that our genetic inheritance constrains and makes inevitable our development as persons with a variety of traits. At its silliest the view postulates such entities as a gene predisposing people to poverty, and it is the particular enemy of thinkers stressing the parental, social, and political determinants of the way we are. See also gene, sociobiology.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • Determinism — • A name employed by writers, especially since J. Stuart Mill, to denote the philosophical theory which holds, in opposition to the doctrine of free will, that all man s volitions are invariably determined by pre existing circumstances Catholic… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • determinism — DETERMINÍSM s.n. Teorie, concepţie potrivit căreia fenomenele sunt generate de înlănţuiri de cauze şi efecte, prin condiţionări şi legităţi prin interacţiuni necesare şi repetitive. – Din fr. déterminisme. Trimis de IoanSoleriu, 01.09.2004. Sursa …   Dicționar Român

  • determinism —    Determinism concerning human beings is the thesis that every action performed by a human is determined, that is, antecedently caused or fixed, by something else. The something else might be another agent, one s genes, one s upbringing, a prior …   Christian Philosophy

  • Determinism — De*ter min*ism, n. (Metaph.) The doctrine that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives, preceding events, and natural laws. [1913 Webster] Its superior suitability to produce courage, as contrasted with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Determinism — (biological) …   Philosophy dictionary

  • determinism — 1846, in theology (lack of free will); 1876 in general sense of doctrine that everything happens by a necessary causation, from Fr. déterminisme, from Ger. Determinismus, perhaps a back formation from Praedeterminismus (see DETERMINE (Cf.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • determinism — [dē tʉr′mi niz΄əm, ditʉr′mi niz΄əm] n. the doctrine that everything, including one s choice of action, is the necessary result of a sequence of causes determinist n., adj. deterministic adj. deterministically adv …   English World dictionary

  • Determinism — This article is about the general notion of determinism in philosophy. For other uses, see Determinism (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Fatalism, Predeterminism, or Predictability. Certainty series …   Wikipedia

  • determinism — determinist, n., adj. deterministic, adj. deterministically, adv. /di terr meuh niz euhm/, n. 1. the doctrine that all facts and events exemplify natural laws. 2. the doctrine that all events, including human choices and decisions, have… …   Universalium

  • determinism — also known as soft determinism and championed by Hume, is a theory which holds that free will and determinism are compatible. According to Hume, free will should not be understood as an absolute ability to have chosen differently under exactly… …   Mini philosophy glossary

  • Determinism —    Karl Marx’s theory of historical materialism, his predictions (for example concerning the increasing immiserization of the poor and the collapse of capitalism), and Marxist laws of history/ capitalism all lead to the issue of determinism.… …   Historical dictionary of Marxism

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