determinism

American  

[dih-tur-muh-niz-uhm] / dɪˈtɜr məˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. the doctrine that all facts and events exemplify natural laws.

2. the doctrine that all events, including human choices and decisions, have sufficient causes.

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determinism British  

/ dɪˈtɜːmɪˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. Also called: necessitarianism.  the philosophical doctrine that all events including human actions and choices are fully determined by preceding events and states of affairs, and so that freedom of choice is illusory Compare free will

2. the scientific doctrine that all occurrences in nature take place in accordance with natural laws

3. the principle in classical mechanics that the values of dynamic variables of a system and of the forces acting on the system at a given time, completely determine the values of the variables at any later time

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determinism Cultural  

1. In ethics, the view that human actions are entirely controlled by previous conditions, operating under laws of nature. Determinism is often understood as ruling out free will.

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Other Word Forms

• determinist noun
• deterministic adjective
• nondeterminist noun

Etymology

Origin of determinism

First recorded in 1840–50; determin(e) + -ism

Compare meaning

How does determinism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• fatalism vs. determinism
• determinism vs. indeterminism

Example Sentences

“In quantum mechanics,” she explains, “we can only predict probabilities for measurement outcomes, rather than the measurement outcomes themselves. The outcomes are not determined, so quantum mechanics is indeterministic. Superdeterminism returns us to determinism.”

From Scientific American

Riffing off Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” and the Exodus story in the Bible as well as being informed by the death of Trayvon Martin, the play explores structural racism, police brutality and economic determinism.

From Seattle Times

Mehretu came of age when intellectual life, especially in the United States, was preoccupied with increasingly complex forms of determinism.

From Washington Post

Over time, Lombroso would come to be known for his staunch belief in biological determinism: notably, the supposition that mental illness was genetic, and that criminals were born, not made.

From Salon

Combined with Mendelian determinism, which was wildly popular in the U.S. in the early 20th century, Galton’s worldview set the stage for organized efforts of American eugenicists and segregationists.

From Scientific American