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

Etymology

Origin of finalism

First recorded in 1905–10; final + -ism

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

finalism

Like radical finalism, although in a vaguer form, our philosophy represents the organized world as a harmonious whole.

From Creative Evolution by Mitchell, Arthur

At best it can prescind from finalism by a confession of incompleteness and philosophical bankruptcy; by resolutely refusing to face the problem of the whole—of the ultimate whence and whither.

From The Faith of the Millions (2nd series) by Tyrrell, George

This may seem perilously near to finalism, yet it is no more necessarily so, than the process of photography; we only need a self-adaptive tendency in life-matter responsive to the stimulating-tendency of the environment.

From The Faith of the Millions (2nd series) by Tyrrell, George

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

From Creative Evolution by Mitchell, Arthur

Mechanism and finalism agree in taking account only of the bright nucleus shining in the centre.

From Creative Evolution by Mitchell, Arthur