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determinism - 6 dictionary results

de⋅ter⋅min⋅ism

  [di-tur-muh-niz-uhm]
Use determinism in a Sentence
–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.
Origin:
1840–50; determine + -ism

Related forms:
de⋅ter⋅min⋅ist, noun, adjective
de⋅ter⋅min⋅is⋅tic, adjective
de⋅ter⋅min⋅is⋅ti⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To determinism
de·ter·min·ism   (dĭ-tûr'mə-nĭz'əm)   
n.  The philosophical doctrine that every state of affairs, including every human event, act, and decision is the inevitable consequence of antecedent states of affairs.
de·ter'min·ist n., de·ter'min·is'tic adj., de·ter'min·is'ti·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Determinism

De*ter"min*ism\, n. (Metaph.) The doctrine that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives.

Its superior suitability to produce courage, as contrasted with scientific physical determinism, is obvious. --F. P. Cobbe.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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determinism

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.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry: de·ter·min·ism
Pronunciation: di-'t&r-m&-"niz-&m
Function: noun
1 : a theory or doctrine that acts ofthe will, occurrences in nature, or social or psychological phenomena are causally determined by preceding events or natural laws determinism>
2 : the quality or state of being determined —de·ter·min·is·tic /-"t&r-m&-'nis-tik/ also de·ter·min·ist /-'t&rm-(&-)n&st/ adjective —de·ter·min·is·ti·cal·ly /-"t&r-m&-'nis-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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determinism de·ter·min·ism (dĭ-tûr'mə-nĭz'əm)
n.
The philosophical doctrine that every event, act, and decision is the inevitable consequence of antecedents, such as genetic and environmental influences, that are independent of the human will.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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