Casualism

/ˈkæʒ.u.ə.lɪz.əm/ noun

Definition

A philosophical or epistemological position that emphasizes chance, randomness, or contingency in understanding events rather than determinism or necessity.

Etymology

From Latin 'casualis' (happening by chance) plus the noun-forming suffix '-ism', reflecting philosophical theories about causation and the role of chance in existence.

Kelly Says

Medieval philosophers debated casualism versus divine determinism—if God knows everything, can anything truly be random?—a question that echoes today in debates between quantum mechanics and classical physics.

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