A person wants to subject the world around him to a logical explanation. In order for everything to be understandable and clear, which will allow a person not to be afraid and even predict future events, it is necessary to find a cause-and-effect relationship for everything. This is called determinism, which is opposed to indeterminism in philosophy. Let's look at what these concepts are in the online magazine psytheater.com.
If a person sees an egg on the road, he will naturally think that a chicken might have passed through or that it rolled out of someone’s bag. How could an egg end up on the road if no one rolled it there or brought it there? This explanation is logical, which can in turn encourage the person to find a solution to the problem, if there is one. For example, pick up an egg and look for its owner nearby.
A person without a logical explanation for current events is simply deprived of the ability to find solutions to emerging problems. This, for example, can be attributed to the fact that a person does not know the true history of his origin. Until a person knows for sure how he was created, it is difficult for him to answer another question: how can he live so that his existence is full and meaningful?
A person without a past is a lost being. However, philosophers of ancient times assumed that not everything in this world has causality. This is called indeterminism. When a person does not know the reason for the occurrence of a particular phenomenon, he resorts to rituals and faith. This is where religion comes from, which is based on a person’s blind faith in something that cannot be verified and refuted.
When it is impossible to explain logically, then assumptions are made that one can only believe in. This is how the psyche of a person works, who cannot live without answers to his questions.
What is indeterminism?
When considering the concept of indeterminism (what is it?), you inevitably come across theology and naturalism. Indeterminism is a position that refers to the fact that not everything in the world is causal. There is randomness in nature, which leads to phenomena that are difficult to explain.
The indeterministic approach is used to explain various phenomena in nature. Previously, people did not know how the wind appears or why it rains, so they worshiped the gods who supposedly sent them these phenomena.
Indeterminism is often found in physics, explaining many microprocesses by the absence of causality. At the same time, this concept is no longer used in medicine (biology), since each physiological phenomenon has its own causes. A cause-and-effect relationship is easy to identify if you know all the laws and mechanisms. Only due to lack of knowledge can a person indicate that a particular process has no causes, that is, they have not yet been identified.
Indeterminism is often found with concepts such as:
- Determinism is the opposite concept of indeterminism, which indicates that any phenomenon or event has its own cause.
- Agnosticism is a similar concept to indeterminism, which states that the absence of a cause-and-effect relationship does not allow us to fully understand the essence of a particular phenomenon.
Why frames?
The concept itself came into the Russian language from the sphere of mathematical terms. There is a lot of mathematics in economics, so the word can be found in relevant textbooks. Those who do not know it will be confused and will not understand a sufficiently large part of the specialized literature.
For young scientists, the word even more so belongs to the category of mandatory learning. One of the tasks of science is to reduce the uncertainty in human knowledge about the world, therefore the limitation of possibilities is determination. The result is a narrowing of meaning - and as a result we have the concept deterministic. This is nothing more than “certain.”
Indeterminism in philosophy
The term indeterminism is actively used in philosophy, denoting the absence of causality of certain phenomena and events. It gained great popularity in bourgeois philosophy, which ridiculed materialism in the social sciences.
Some philosophers consider the history of mankind from the point of view of natural processes that successively transform into one another, while having all the grounds (reasons) for their development. Representatives of opposing schools reject this idea, believing that not all phenomena are subject to logical explanation, finding strong evidence in history.
Indeterminism and determinism are considered in philosophy as two opposing concepts that allow or deny the existence of human will, freedom of choice and the ability to bear responsibility for one’s own actions.
As for the human will, support was given to the direction of indeterminism, where the human will was presented as an independent unit where the individual takes actions and makes decisions based on his choices. Thus, a person himself is responsible for the consequences of his actions and should not rely on the will of fate, where all future events are predetermined.
Is it possible to speak exclusively about the existence of this or that position? In fact, determinism and indeterminism can be called mutually exclusive, but at the same time complementary concepts. Much in the world is subject to cause and effect. If a cause occurs, then the consequences can be predicted. If consequences are observed, then we can assume the reasons that contributed to them.
However, indeterminism is also not excluded in those areas where logic does not work. For example, in life, when a person makes a choice himself, which is not always amenable to logical explanation. However, behind every decision certain events occur. There is variability here, which is determined by the decisions and circumstances in which a person exists. Cause-and-effect relationships exist, but they do not always have a logical basis.
Definition
Determinism in psychology reflects cause-and-effect relationships between mental manifestations and the factors that provoke them. The essence of determinism comes down to the mandatory presence of causes for occurring mental phenomena. Mental phenomena occur under the influence of numerous factors - internal and external. The first group includes motivation and goal setting, the second group includes hereditary predisposition, the influence of the social environment and accumulated experience.
Determination is an approach to the consideration of mental processes that assumes the presence of influencing factors, which necessitates the study of the causes of behavioral reactions in order to understand the essence of mental phenomena and phenomena. Causality is unidirectional, one-sided and irreversible - it implies the primacy of the cause and the secondary nature of the consequence arising from it. Cause precedes effect, the opposite is impossible.
Within the framework of the concept of determinism, categories such as necessity and chance are considered. Necessity means a process, phenomenon, occurrence that necessarily occurs under given conditions. Moreover, the essence of the phenomenon is unchanged, but under the influence of circumstances that develop differently, the result may vary. Randomness reflects the presence of different forms of manifestation of necessity, varying relative to the original version.
The category of reality is understood as the initial circumstances. The category of possibility reflects the changes that occur in the period from the current to the future state of reality. Opportunity is prerequisites that exist in the present and are aimed at changing reality. There are abstract (theoretical, unsubstantiated) and real possibilities.
Determinism in psychology is an approach to the study of human mental activity in order to identify the principles and mechanisms of mental reactions. The main objectives of this approach are to identify patterns in human behavior and understand the mental processes that determine an individual’s activity. For example, the formation of a child’s behavioral models occurs from early childhood under the influence of upbringing, environment, and culture.
The formation of character and temperament is influenced by physiological processes aimed at natural maturation within the framework of physical and mental development. Communication and maintaining a dialogue with adults is a stimulus for a child’s development. The determination of an individual's behavior is considered from the point of view of reflex and voluntary reactions. In the first case, an unintentional, involuntary response to external stimuli is implied as a manifestation of unconditioned and conditioned reflexes.
In the second case, an arbitrary, volitional, conscious response to external stimuli is assumed. The social environment corrects the personal intentions of the individual, determines his role within society, and stimulates his activity. External stimuli can be expressed in coercion, manipulation, psychological pressure and physical violence.
The deterministic approach to the study of mental phenomena is based on the principle of causality. Causality is considered as a set of circumstances that precede the effect and provoke it. The deterministic approach involves taking into account the influence of diverse factors. For example, system determinism considers the dependence of the elements of the system on the characteristics and properties of the whole.
Determinism in the form of feedback involves the influence of an effect on the cause that provoked it. Statistical determinism reflects the presence of different effects-results for the same reasons, which change within the framework of a statistical pattern. Determinants are in psychology the root causes and factors that determine the process. The determinants that determine the characteristics and level of personal development are identified:
A determinant is a concept that in psychology is identified with the root causes that collectively determine behavioral reactions and mental processes, which reflects the influence of external and internal mechanisms on the activity of an individual. Behavioral models are formed under the influence of psychosomatic characteristics (genetic characteristics, diseases, psycho-emotional background) and microsocial factors - the order of upbringing, relationships in the family and small groups of society (kindergarten, circle of friends, school).
Personal development is influenced by the characteristics of professional activity (susceptibility to stress, irregular work hours and schedules), the socio-economic situation, including events such as the economic crisis and military operations. Subjective determinants that influence the formation of behavioral models include self-development, the individual’s self-awareness, the presence of motivation, and the level of aspirations.
Determination coefficient is the proportion of variance (indicator of scatter, data deviation) of a dependent characteristic, considered from the angle of influence, correlation (mutual relationship) of independent variables. In simple words, the value of the coefficient of determination comes down to reflecting the degree of variation of the resulting characteristic under the influence of causal, factorial characteristics.
Self-determinism in short is the ability of an individual to determine goals and control their actions. The concept of self-determinism appeared thanks to Ron Hubbard and the movement of Scientology he founded. This phenomenon is considered in the context of a state where an individual directs his actions based on the task at hand.
Indeterminism and determinism
Speaking briefly about determinism and indeterminism, these concepts are opposite to each other. All phenomena and events have their own conditionality, that is, they can be defined, explained, and predicted in the future. This is called determinism.
The presence of objective views on what is happening in a world where everything is determined by causality is called determinism. The opposite of it is indeterminism, which says that not all phenomena and events are subject to logical reasons. Either there are simply no reasons, or they are not specified. These are so-called accidents, coincidences, etc.
Determinism, despite its logic and obviousness, is still refuted by various sciences and directions. For example, quantum physics actively examines phenomena that defy modern scientific explanations. There are atoms that move in their own order, not obeying the laws known to man.
Determinism and indeterminism view phenomena differently:
- Determinism states that one phenomenon is the cause of the development of another phenomenon.
- Indeterminism excludes a mandatory connection between phenomena that can exist separately.
A cause is some action that provokes the appearance of some effect. Accordingly, the effect is the result of the action of the cause.
A person cannot live in constant ignorance, so he asks questions to which he tries to find answers. If you familiarize yourself with the various diseases that are observed in the human body, you will definitely come across such points as “causes” and “symptoms”. Causes of diseases are factors that provoke a particular disease. Symptoms are the consequences that develop in the body after the onset of the disease.
It is easier for a person to understand the world when he understands what causes lead to what consequences. This allows us not only to understand what happened in the past, but also to predict the future. A person who has at least once observed how an angry tiger behaves can next time guess how the animal will behave if it starts to get angry again.
However, the concept of indeterminism, when there is free will of a living being, is not excluded here. If someone deliberately decides to respond differently, then their behavior becomes unpredictable.
Multideterminism
However, the idea of a single cause was later revised, which marked the beginning of the development of multiple determinism or multideterminism. The key idea of this concept is based on the fact that any mental phenomenon or form of behavior is determined by many factors, and moreover, serves more than one purpose.
Freud himself revised his ideas about the causality of mental life. Based on his rich psychoanalytic experience, he introduces the concept of overdetermination, which contains an indication of the interconnectedness of the causes that lead to a complex of symptoms, expressed in dreams (or rather, its elements), behavioral reactions, and any other component of mental reality. At the same time, it cannot be said that this idea was new for science as a whole.
Multideterminism is found in the geometry of flat bodies, namely in the intersection of two lines that form a point at the meeting point. Each of the lines is a cause, and the point is a phenomenon caused by these causes. And an infinite number of lines pass through one point. Thus, the intersection of two lines is a determinant of a point, the intersection of three or more lines is an overdeterminant.
In relation to psychoanalysis, the term multiple determination has taken root, since one phenomenon (point) often presupposes the presence of a minimum range of causes (two lines), but not always more necessary.
Based on this principle, all mental life and phenomena are determined by many reasons. Psychoanalysis here helps to determine how a certain thought or dream images appeared in the psyche. For example, they can either be a consequence of conscious experience or appear at the intersection of many unconscious structures, including repressed desires, various ego defense mechanisms, false experiences defined by transference, etc.
Multiple conditioning is possible because each phenomenon can carry different meanings, so the symptom can be a desire for attention and secondary gain (hysteria), an attempt to satisfy needs, or a craving for submission and punishment (masochism). Each of the meanings has its own path from the unconscious to consciousness and is valuable in itself, however, the multiplicity of meanings and ways to achieve the final goal create a single and unique picture of the movement-symptom.
Bottom line
In philosophy, two opposing concepts are distinguished, which in their own way approach the explanation of the world around us and its phenomena. However, the presence of opposite phenomena does not mean that they can exist in the world at the same time. It is human nature to divide and occupy one side, rejecting the other. The result of this approach is an incomplete understanding of all phenomena.
To look at the world more realistically, one must understand that there is evidence of both determinism and indeterminism. Both principles can coexist simultaneously, which is a new trend.
Criticism
The problem of determinism and hard pandeterminism is the denial of free will and the ability to arbitrarily change one’s behavior. Man is governed by motives, say determinists, and this is partly true. However, it is not so much by relying on his motives as by relying on his reason that a person decides which motives are appropriate here and now for the development of his activities.
An example is sacrificial behavior during wars. A person, as a living being, has his own life as the highest value, however, in extreme situations, the ultimate goal (for example, the defense of the Motherland) is capable of displacing this fundamental motive from the pedestal and the person voluntarily goes to his death, showing true free will, which is determined by an abstract goal.
Author of the article: Borisov Oleg Vladimirovich, psychologist
Recommendations
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Content
- 1 Necessary but not sufficient causation
- 2 Probabilistic causation
- 3 Internal indeterminism versus unpredictability
- 4 Philosophy 4.1 Ancient Greek philosophy 4.1.1 Leucippus
- 4.1.2 Aristotle
- 4.1.3 Pyrrhonism
- 4.1.4 Epicureanism
- 4.3.1 Charles Pierce
- 5.1 Mathematics
Outside of science - rarely
Does the concept of determination depress you? Well, it is used in a very narrow sense and only in a scientific style. That is, it is unlikely that you will encounter him often - if you hear the word from the podium, it means that a scientist with sparkling eyes was mistakenly allowed in for it.
But the concept of “deterministic” helps reduce the chaos in human knowledge, or at least it claims to do so. And if we are talking only about narrow mathematical knowledge, then its use will be justified and meaningful.
The word “deterministic” will be useful to authors of term papers and dissertations, and not only in the fields of exact sciences. There are also borderline sciences in which this concept is welcomed - linguistics, medicine. But during a feast, it’s better not to use this word - they won’t understand. The exception is the Nobel Banquet. Everyone there will definitely like this word.
Probabilistic causation
Main article: Probabilistic causation
Interpretation of causality as a deterministic relation means that if A
causes
B
, then
A
must always be accompanied
by
B. In this sense, war does not cause death and smoking does not cause cancer. As a result, many turn to the concept of probabilistic causation. Informally, A
probabilistically causes
B
if
A'
occurrence increases the probability
of B. This is sometimes interpreted as reflecting imperfect knowledge of a deterministic system, but is sometimes interpreted to mean that the causal system under study is inherently indeterministic in nature. (Propensity probability is a similar idea, according to which probabilities objectively exist and are not limitations in the subject's knowledge).[2]
It can be proven that implementations of any probability distribution other than the uniform are mathematically equal to applying a (deterministic) function (namely, the inverse distribution function) on the random variable following the latter (i.e., “absolutely random”[3]); the probabilities are contained in the deterministic element. A simple form of demonstrating this is to randomly shoot inside a square and then (deterministically) interpret a relatively large sub-square as a more likely outcome.
