finalism

American  

[fahyn-l-iz-uhm] / ˈfaɪn lˌɪz əm /

noun

1. the doctrine or belief that all events are determined by their purposes or goals.

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finalism British  

/ ˈfaɪnəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. philosophy the doctrine that final causes determine the course of all events

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Other Word Forms

• finalistic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of finalism

First recorded in 1905–10; final + -ism

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

finalism

Mechanism and finalism are therefore, here, only external views of our conduct.

From Creative Evolution by Arthur Mitchell

That is what neither mechanism nor finalism takes into account, and it is what we also fail to consider when we wonder at the marvelous structure of an instrument such as the eye.

From Creative Evolution by Arthur Mitchell

We must get beyond both points of view, both mechanism and finalism being, at bottom, only standpoints to which the human mind has been led by considering the work of man.

From Creative Evolution by Arthur Mitchell

It is this more comprehensive reality that true finalism ought to reconstruct, or, rather, if possible, embrace in one view.

From Creative Evolution by Arthur Mitchell

It claims to transcend both mechanism and finalism; but, as we announced at the beginning, it is nearer the second doctrine than the first.

From Creative Evolution by Arthur Mitchell

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