clockwork universe

(noun)

A universe in which all of the actions of matter and energy operate as reactions according to predetermined rules set down by a creator, like the movements of a clock.

Related Terms

  • Supreme architect
  • Enlightenment

Examples of clockwork universe in the following topics:

  • Deism

    • Deism is a religious philosophy that holds that reason and observation of the natural world in a form other than organized religion can determine that the universe is the product of (an) intelligent creator(s).
    • According to Deists, the creator rarely, if ever, either intervenes in human affairs or suspends the natural laws of the universe.
    • Deists typically reject supernatural events such as prophecy and miracles, tending instead to assert that a god (or "the Supreme Architect," a term used to neutrally represent deity) does not alter the universe by intervening in it.
    • This idea is also known as the clockwork universe theory, in which a god designs and builds the universe but steps aside to let it run on its own.
  • Planck's Quantum Theory

    • In some ways, quantum mechanics completely changed the way physicists viewed the universe, and it also marked the end of the idea of a clockwork universe (the idea that universe was predictable).
  • Incentive Systems for Employees

    • The most consistent truck drivers, for example, could receive a reward for their clockwork performance.
  • Heat Death

    • The entropy of the universe is constantly increasing and is destined for thermodynamic equilibrium, called the heat death of the universe.
    • Gravity played a vital role in the young universe.
    • As entropy increases, less and less energy in the universe is available to do work.
    • Since the universe is a closed system, the entropy of the universe is constantly increasing, and so the availability of energy to do work is constantly decreasing.
    • Describe processes that lead to the heat death of the universe
  • References

    • Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
    • Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  • Cultural Universals

    • A cultural universal is an element, pattern, trait, or institution that is common to all human cultures worldwide.
    • The incest taboo is often cited as an example of a cultural universal.
    • Taken together, the whole body of cultural universals is known as the human condition.
    • The concept of a cultural universal has long been discussed in the social sciences.
    • Discuss cultural universals in terms of the various elements of culture, such as norms and beliefs
  • Universal Coverage

    • Universal healthcare coverage provides healthcare and financial protection to all citizens; however the United States has not adopted it.
    • Universal healthcare--sometimes referred to as universal health coverage, universal coverage, universal care, or social health protection--usually refers to a healthcare system that provides healthcare and financial protection to all citizens.
    • Universal healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all concept, nor does it imply unlimited coverage for all people.
    • Universal healthcare systems vary according to the extent of government involvement in providing care and/or health insurance.
    • Explain how universal healthcare works as a national health care policy and the arguments made for and against it
  • Introduction

    • Reviewer: Ronald F Farina (Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, USA)
  • Introduction

    • Editor: Buie Seawell (Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, USA)
    • Reviewer: James O'Toole (Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, USA)
  • References

    • General Editor, The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1995.
    • Dictionary of the History of Science, Princeton University Press: Princeton, 1981.
    • The Logic of Economic Discovery, New York University Press: NY, 1986.
    • The Inexact and Separate Science of Economics, Cambridge University Press, 1992
    • If You're So Smart, University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1990.
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