Understanding Indeterminism in Physics and Philosophy

In physics, an indeterminist is someone who believes that the outcome of a measurement or event cannot be predicted with certainty, but rather has a probability of occurring. This view is in contrast to determinism, which holds that the outcome of a measurement or event is predetermined and can be predicted with certainty.

In quantum mechanics, for example, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of a particle with infinite precision at the same time. This means that the outcome of a measurement of a quantum system is inherently probabilistic, and cannot be predicted with certainty. Indeterminists argue that this fundamental uncertainty is a fundamental feature of reality, and that it cannot be eliminated by any amount of knowledge or measurement.

In philosophy, indeterminism is often associated with the idea of free will, which holds that human choices and actions are not predetermined by prior causes, but rather are the result of free decisions made by individuals. Indeterminists argue that if the outcome of a decision or action is inherently probabilistic, then it is not predetermined and therefore we have free will.

In contrast, determinists argue that the outcome of a measurement or event is predetermined and can be predicted with certainty, given enough knowledge and information. They believe that the fundamental uncertainty of quantum mechanics can be eliminated by increasing our knowledge and understanding of the system being measured.