What does indeterminist mean?
Indeterminist is a rare philosophical noun for someone who maintains that some questions or outcomes do not admit a single fixed, knowable answer. Its sense depends on context: in discussions of truth and meaning, it may label a thinker who regards final judgment as impossible; in debates about causation or the future, it can refer to someone who rejects complete determination by prior causes. The term is therefore broader and more specialized than ordinary skepticism, which can simply mean doubting a particular claim. An indeterminist is the person; indeterminism is the position, while indeterminate is the usual adjective for something unresolved or imprecisely defined. Although uncommon outside philosophy, linguistics, and related discussion, the word is useful because it names a distinctive conclusion: not simply that a particular answer is uncertain, but that definitive determination may be unavailable in principle.
nounA person who holds that some questions or outcomes are not definitively determinable, especially a philosophical view that truth, meaning, or future events resist final determination.
- A person who believes that some questions, particularly concerning truth, meaning, or causation, cannot be settled definitively.
"The indeterminist argued that the text admits several equally defensible interpretations."
"The indeterminist maintained that the ancient inscription could not be assigned one certain meaning."
"In the debate over causation, she was described as an indeterminist who rejected the idea that the future is entirely fixed."
The plural is grammatical but rarely needed because the headword itself is uncommon.
"The philosophical indeterministsts disagreed about whether indeterminism applies to truth as well as to physical events."
Indeterminist names the conviction that some questions may resist any final answer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indeterminist come from?
The word was formed in English by adding the suffix “-ist” to “indeterminate,” creating a term for a person associated with indeterminism. “Indeterminate” comes ultimately from Latin indeterminatus, meaning “not determined” or “not fixed.” The suffix “-ist” developed from a longer form meaning a follower or practitioner and is now widely used to denote an adherent of a doctrine.
Related word forms
How indeterminist is actually used
Rare and chiefly philosophical or academic. It is not merely a synonym for someone who feels uncertain about a particular issue, but may imply that definitive determination is unavailable in principle.
Easily confused with indeterminist
A determinist maintains that outcomes are fixed by prior conditions, whereas an indeterminist rejects definitive determination.