occasionalism

American  

[uh-key-zhuh-nl-iz-uhm] / əˈkeɪ ʒə nlˌɪz əm /

noun

Philosophy.

1. a theory that there is no natural interaction between mind and matter, but that God makes mental events correspond to physical perceptions and actions.

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occasionalism British  

/ əˈkeɪʒənəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the post-Cartesian theory that the seeming interconnection of mind and matter is effected by God

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Other Word Forms

• occasionalist
  noun
• occasionalistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of occasionalism

First recorded in 1835–45; occasional + -ism

Example Sentences

You cannot be an occasionalist without being a voluntarist, and every voluntarist has taken at least the first step on the road to occasionalism.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Many, alarmed at the consequences which occasionalism would seem to involve, have embraced an opposite scheme.

From Conversion of a High Priest into a Christian Worker by Golden, M. (Meletios)

It results from the occasionalism attributed by Dewey to the thinking process.

From John Dewey's logical theory by Howard, Delton Thomas

So excellent a man as Baxter was misled by this hypothesis, which evidently is as derogatory to God as occasionalism is fatal to the moral agency of man.

From Conversion of a High Priest into a Christian Worker by Golden, M. (Meletios)

Over the numberless lesser miracles with which occasionalism burdened the Deity, the one great miracle of the pre-established harmony has an undeniable advantage.

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