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

But this brings us right back, after such a long detour, to the question of indeterminism and to the conclusion of all I came here to say to-night.

From The Will to Believe : and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by James, William