occasional cause

noun

1
a
: a mental state (as desire or decision) considered as the occasion but not the real cause of a physical phenomenon (as bodily behavior)
b
: a physical phenomenon considered similarly as the occasion of a mental state compare occasionalism
2
: a circumstance that precedes an effect and that without being the real cause is the occasion of its action

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Dictionary Entries Near occasional cause

Cite this Entry

“Occasional cause.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occasional%20cause. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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