Necessitarian derives from the Latin word "necessarius," meaning "necessary" or "unavoidable."
The suffix "-arian" indicates a person or thing characterized by or associated with something.
Meaning
A necessitarian is:
Philosophical perspective: One who believes that all events happen due to necessary or unavoidable causes.
Person: Someone who holds this philosophical perspective.
Origin
The concept of necessitarianism has roots in ancient Greek philosophy.
Thales (6th century BCE): Argued that everything is controlled by a divine necessity or fate.
Heraclitus (6th century BCE): Believed that the world follows a cosmic order or Logos that determines all events.
Aristotle (4th century BCE): Developed a teleological view of the universe, where everything has a purpose and is therefore guided by necessity.
In modern philosophy, notable necessitarians include:
David Hume (18th century): Argued that the laws of nature are necessary and inescapable.
Pierre Simon Laplace (19th century): Proposed the idea of Laplacian determinism, stating that all future events are predetermined by current conditions.
Karl Marx (19th century): Believed that history follows a deterministic pattern driven by economic forces.
