OCCASIONALISM Meaning and
Definition
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Occasionalism is a philosophical theory that was primarily developed in the 17th century by the Islamic theologian Al-Ghazali and later expanded upon by the French philosopher Nicolas Malebranche. It posits that all events and interactions in the world are not directly caused by each other or by natural laws but are instead orchestrated by a divine power or God.
According to occasionalism, God is seen as the ultimate cause and agent responsible for all occurrences. It suggests that every seemingly causal connection or relationship between events is only apparent, and in reality, all events are simply a series of independent and isolated actions of God. For instance, if a person reaches out to pick up an object, it is not their own volition or the laws of physics that cause their hand to move, but rather God intervening and causing the movement.
Occasionalism also refutes the concept of mind-body interaction. It claims that the mind and the body do not directly interact with each other, as commonly believed, but rather, each individual event in the mind and body is governed and synchronized by God.
In summary, occasionalism holds that every occurrence in the world, including human actions, is not brought about by natural causes or purely individual will, but rather by God's continuous and direct intervention. It offers an understanding of the world as a series of disparate events that are ultimately guided by a divine being.
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In meta., the doctrine which teaches that God, and not the will, causes and controls bodily actions.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for OCCASIONALISM
- iccasionalism
- kccasionalism
- lccasionalism
- pccasionalism
- 0ccasionalism
- 9ccasionalism
- oxcasionalism
- ovcasionalism
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- Ocassionalism
- Occassionalyism
- Occasionalyism
- Occasionalisme
Etymology of OCCASIONALISM
The word Occasionalism is derived from the Latin occasio, which means occasion or opportunity. It is a philosophical doctrine formulated by the philosopher Nicolas Malebranche in the 17th century. Malebranche developed this philosophical system to explain the interaction between the mind and the body, suggesting that all events and actions in the world occur due to the direct intervention of God on each occasion or occasion, hence the term Occasionalism.
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