indeterminism

American  

[in-di-tur-muh-niz-uhm] / ˌɪn dɪˈtɜr məˌnɪz əm /

noun

Philosophy.

1. the doctrine that human actions, though influenced somewhat by preexisting psychological and other conditions, are not entirely governed by them but retain a certain freedom and spontaneity.

2. the theory that the will is to some extent independent of the strength of motives, or may itself modify their strength in choice.

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indeterminism British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈtɜːmɪˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. the philosophical doctrine that behaviour is not entirely determined by motives

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Other Word Forms

• indeterminist noun
• indeterministic adjective

Etymology

Origin of indeterminism

First recorded in 1870–75; in- ³ + determinism

Compare meaning

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

• determinism vs. indeterminism

Example Sentences

Some seem to think quantum structure is more likely to be connected to consciousness than classical structure, perhaps because features such as indeterminism and non-locality are perceived as distinctively mentalistic.

From Scientific American • Dec. 15, 2019

The issue is a little subtle, but the key point is that the distinction between determinism and indeterminism is a level-specific one.

From Scientific American • Jun. 8, 2019

This may sound counterintuitive, but indeterminism at the level of agency is compatible with determinism at the level of physics.

From Scientific American • Jun. 8, 2019

The characteristic features are indeterminism and uncertainty: fire an electron at an atom and observe it bounce to the right.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2017

It is not only optimism and pessimism, determinism and indeterminism, that have their ultimate roots in the affective side of our nature, but pantheism and individualism, also idealism and materialism, even rationalism and sensationalism.

From History of Modern Philosophy From Nicolas of Cusa to the Present Time by Falckenberg, Richard