déterminisme

Forms

déterminisme m (plural déterminismes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from German Determinismus (1790), a derivative of the German verb determinieren, itself from Latin dēterminō (“to mark the limits”).^[2][3][4] Bloch and Wartburg think the German word was taken from Praedeterminismus.^[4] Other dictionaries describe it as formed on déterminer to render the German word, or as the verb with -isme under its influence.^[5][6][1] The related déterministe (1811) was likewise taken from German Determinist (1788).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1827, according to the Grand Robert and Rey; the TLFi's first record is the Académie's supplement of 1836.^[5][3][7][2]

Semantic evolution

In philosophy the word first named a scholastic system that subordinated human decisions to the action of Providence, and then any system that admits the irresistible influence of motives, as Littré records.^[8] In the 19th century it took its scientific sense, the principle that every phenomenon has causes and that the same causes produce the same effects under the same conditions, illustrated in the dictionaries by Claude Bernard's writings on experimental science.^[2][6][7] It also means the set of conditions needed for a given phenomenon to happen.^[2][6] Phrases such as déterminisme psychologique and déterminisme historique apply the idea to particular fields; its opposite is indéterminisme.^[7]

Timeline

• 1790 – German Determinismus is recorded.^[2][3]
• 1811 – Déterministe is recorded, from German.^[3]
• 1827 – First recorded in French.^[5][3][7]
• 1836 – The Académie's supplement enters it.^[2][4][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. (philosophy) Determinism, the doctrine that all events, and human actions in particular, are fixed by the chain of earlier events.^[7][9][10]
2. (science) The principle that every phenomenon is governed by necessary laws, so that the same causes under the same conditions produce the same effects.^[2][7][6]
3. The set of conditions needed to bring about a given phenomenon, the chain of cause and effect behind it.^[2][6][10]

Related words

• déterminer
• déterministe
• indéterminisme
• German Determinismus
• Latin dēterminō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)