Determinism: Philosophical Definition

In modern times, the absolute and universal determinism has been challenged: it is impossible, in fact, at the atomic particles, to make a rigorous prediction.

In Latin, “determinar” is the sense of determinism is the “mark the envelope”, “limit”.

Its scientific meaning look like all the necessary conditions that a given phenomenon occurs. More widely now, determinism means as a doctrine, a concept that certain conditions being given and known facts that will follow are predictable with precision.

The question of determinism is a major issue of epistemology (philosophy of science), but also of classical metaphysics (cf. example of the stone in Spinoza)

His metaphysical concept refers to a philosophical doctrine positing that the need exists in the universe.

Definitions of philosophers (Popper / Bachelard / Spinoza, …)

– De Broglie

“The definition of determinism with predictability rigorous phenomena seems the only physicist to accept, because it is the only one that is effectively verifiable”

– Popper

“I hereby designate scientific determinism, the doctrine that the world structure is such that any event can be rationally predicted, the degree of accuracy, provided a sufficiently accurate description of past events, and all laws of nature, we are given”

– Bachelard

“Determinism is a concept that sign taking on human nature. ”

– Spinoza

“People are mistaken when they think themselves free, in this view is simply because they are aware of their actions and ignorant of the causes by which they are determined”

– Sartre

“The man who thinks he determined to mask its responsibility” (Being and Nothingness)

– Valery

“The” determinism “is the only way to represent the world. Indeterminism And the only way to exis