Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Occasionalism
Oc-ca′sion-al-ism
,Noun.
(Metaph.)
The system of occasional causes; – a name given to certain theories of the Cartesian school of philosophers, as to the intervention of the First Cause, by which they account for the apparent reciprocal action of the soul and the body.
Definition 2024
occasionalism
occasionalism
English
Noun
occasionalism (countable and uncountable, plural occasionalisms)
- (philosophy, uncountable) A metaphysical doctrine that holds that all events are occasioned (caused) by God himself
- (linguistics, countable) A nonce word.
- 2010, Martin Haspelmath and Andrea D. Sims, Understanding Morphology, second edition, page 130:
- This measure stems from the observation that productive morphological rules are likely to produce occasionalisms, whereas unproductive rules are not likely to do so. Occasionalisms are thus particularly important for determining productivity.
- 2010, Martin Haspelmath and Andrea D. Sims, Understanding Morphology, second edition, page 130: