nondeterminism
nounCA, US /nɑndəˈtɝmɪnɪzəm/
Etymology From non- + determinism.
1
Human sciences, Philosophy, Sciences The opposite of determinism: the doctrine that there are factors other than the state and immutable laws of the universe involved in the unfolding of events, such as free will.
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Dependence on factors other than initial state and input.
- Moving from a single-processor to a multi-processor system often exposes hidden nondeterminism due to invalid assumptions about scheduling.
3
Computer, Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Science, Sciences The property of being nondeterministic, involving arbitrary choices; necessitating the choice between various indistinguishable possibilities.
- Projection of an automaton almost always results in nondeterminism.
- Antonyms
- determinism
- Derived terms
- angelic non-determinism
- Related terms
- nondeterministic