indeterminist

A philosopher argues that human actions are not predetermined, making him an indeterminist.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A proponent of indeterminism: An "indeterminist" is a person who believes that not all events are causally determined, and that some events, particularly human choices, are free or random. This contrasts with determinism, which holds that every event is caused by prior conditions.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • As an indeterminist, she argued that human decisions are not predetermined by past events. (A person who believes in free will or randomness in decision-making.)
  • The philosopher was a well-known indeterminist, rejecting the idea that the future is fixed. (Someone who opposes determinism.)

Advanced Usage

• "Indeterminist" in philosophical contexts: The term is often used in debates about free will, quantum mechanics, and ethics.
  • Indeterminists claim that quantum uncertainty supports the possibility of genuine choice. (They use physics to argue against strict determinism.)

Variants and Related Words

• Indeterminism (n): the doctrine that not all events are causally determined.

  • Indeterminism leaves room for moral responsibility. (The belief that some actions are free.)

• Indeterminate (adj): not precisely fixed or determined; vague.

  • The outcome of the experiment was indeterminate. (The result was unclear or not fixed.)

Synonyms

• Libertarian (in philosophy): someone who believes in free will, often opposed to determinism.
• Anti-determinist: a person who rejects determinism.

Related Idioms

• No fixed path: an idiomatic expression for the indeterminist view that life is not predetermined.
  • For an indeterminist, life has no fixed path; each choice creates a new branch. (The belief in open possibilities.)