determinismnoun [ U ]
uk/dɪˈtɜː.mɪ.nɪ.zəm/us/dɪˈtɝː.mə.nɪ.zəm/specializedthe theory that everything that happens must happen as it does and could not have happened any other way
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Philosophy
- aesthete
- aesthetic
- anthropocentric
- Aristotle
- axiomatic
- holism
- idealism
- individualism
- materialism
- materialist
- postmodernism
- pseudo-science
- rationalism
- rationalist
- realism
- theorize
- theory
- utilitarianism
- yang
- yin
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Examples from literature
- Belief in creativeness and spontaneity replace the older belief in determinism.
- Determinism is not inconsistent with the cruel treatment of criminals.
- Determinism thus reflects upon itself and in a curious way turns to operate against itself.
- Economic determinism has been an antidote to mere preaching of goodness, to hero-worship and political quackery.
- The critique of science and the assaults upon determinism proceeded upon parallel lines.