Definition of indeterminism in English:
indeterminism
noun ɪndɪˈtəːmɪnɪz(ə)mˌɪndəˈtərmənɪzəm
mass noun1Philosophy
The doctrine that not all events are wholly determined by antecedent causes.
Example sentencesExamples
- If it turns out that both determinism and indeterminism have these three intellectual virtues, can we come to a judgement about which one has the crowning virtue?
- For any freedom not compatible with determinism would require indeterminism; and what is undetermined would happen by luck and could not be a free and responsible action.
- In the realm of microphysics, where we have strong (but still contestable) evidence of indeterminism, our ordinary causal notions do not easily apply.
- The second main reply to that argument is that it involves an incoherent mix of determinism and indeterminism.
- If the world were governed by strictly deterministic laws, might it still look as though indeterminism reigns?
2The state of being uncertain or undecided.
Example sentencesExamples
- The new world is full of uncertainty, indeterminism and states that our knowledge is limited.
- I thought it may be indeterminism, but no such luck.
- Indeed, introducing indeterminism adds little in the way of worthwhile possibilities, opportunities, or competences to a universe.
- The indeterminism made it uncertain whether she would go back to help or press onward.
Derivatives
nounˌɪndɪˈtəːmɪnɪstˌɪndəˈtərmənəst
Like William James, Popper was an indeterminist who saw history as a series of unforeseeable events.
Example sentencesExamples
- Compatibilists could in principle be indeterminists but in fact are nearly always determinists.
- This is an argument that indeterminists like to use against determinists, since a world without regret is a sad world.
- If actions originate from noncausal events as indeterminists claim, then they are chaotic and untamed.
- Hence, it would seem that the indeterminist wants us to ground responsibility in the ability to act irrationally.
adjectiveɪndɪtəːmɪˈnɪstɪk
She might deny, that every event is caused, thereby claiming that the universe is causally indeterministic.
Example sentencesExamples
- The choice between an indeterministic interpretation of quantum theory and a deterministic interpretation cannot be made on these grounds.
- Many philosophers find the idea of indeterministic causation counterintuitive.
- It's not as if they have indeterministic physics in their brains whereas the rest of us have deterministic physics.
- But if they are indeterministic, might not interference produce a result that has a probability greater than zero, and so be consistent with the laws?
Definition of indeterminism in US English:
indeterminism
nounˌindəˈtərmənizəmˌɪndəˈtərmənɪzəm
1Philosophy
The doctrine that not all events are wholly determined by antecedent causes.
Example sentencesExamples
- If it turns out that both determinism and indeterminism have these three intellectual virtues, can we come to a judgement about which one has the crowning virtue?
- The second main reply to that argument is that it involves an incoherent mix of determinism and indeterminism.
- For any freedom not compatible with determinism would require indeterminism; and what is undetermined would happen by luck and could not be a free and responsible action.
- In the realm of microphysics, where we have strong (but still contestable) evidence of indeterminism, our ordinary causal notions do not easily apply.
- If the world were governed by strictly deterministic laws, might it still look as though indeterminism reigns?
2The state of being uncertain or undecided.
Example sentencesExamples
- The indeterminism made it uncertain whether she would go back to help or press onward.
- I thought it may be indeterminism, but no such luck.
- The new world is full of uncertainty, indeterminism and states that our knowledge is limited.
- Indeed, introducing indeterminism adds little in the way of worthwhile possibilities, opportunities, or competences to a universe.