necessitarianism

[ nuh-ses-i-tair-ee-uh-niz-uhm ]

noun

1. the doctrine that all events, including acts of the will, are determined by antecedent causes; determinism.

necessitarianism

/ ˌnɛsɪˈsɛərɪəˌnɪzəm; nɪˌsɛsɪˈtɛərɪəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. philosophy another word for determinism Compare libertarian

Derived Forms

• neˌcessiˈtarian, nounadjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of necessitarianism¹

First recorded in 1850–55; necessitarian + -ism

Example Sentences

He ultimately rejected the immortality and immateriality of the soul, argued for necessitarianism, and earned considerable unpopularity by the boldness of some of his sentiments on political as well as theological matters.

From Project Gutenberg

Libertā′rian, one who believes in free-will as opposed to necessity; Libertā′rianism, the doctrine of the freedom of the will, as opposed to necessitarianism; Liber′ticide, a destroyer of liberty; Liber′tinage, debauchery; Lib′ertine, formerly one who professed free opinions, esp. in religion: one who leads a licentious life, a rake or debauchee.—adj. belonging to a freedman: unrestrained: licentious.—n.

From Project Gutenberg

He ultimately rejected the immortality and immateriality of the soul, argued for necessitarianism, and earned considerable unpopularity by the boldness of some of his sentiments on political as well as theological matters.

From Project Gutenberg

His necessitarianism is modern, his scepticism is modern, and the difficulties in which it arises are modern too.

From Project Gutenberg

There is, we must confess, a good deal of such sophistry to-day in the use of arguments drawn from the current philosophy of necessitarianism and the idea of heredity.

From Project Gutenberg