Determinism is a position in philosophical discussions of autonomy that claims every action performed by a given agent is dictated by the laws of chemistry and physics (or a deity), not the individual itself. Determinism does not claim to know the specific mechanisms by which an individual behaves, only that behavior and decisions can be traced to specific states, which would necessitate the observed behavior. The most famous example of deterministic theory is [LaPlace’s demon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laplace's_demon), which posits that if it were possible for an omniscient intellect to know the location and momentum of the entire contents the universe, it would be able to calculate future events and reconstruct past events. This is the scientific argument for **causal determinism**, that events, and therefore behavior, are purely directed by physical causality. **Biological determinism** claims that human behavior is directed by a combination of genetics and physiology. This is a form of [[Dispositionism]], whereas causal determinism tends more toward [[Situationism]]. Determinism should not be confused with **predeterminism**, though the two are closely related and often linked in the course of argument. Predeterminism states that the course of events is fixed, in both the future and the past, while determinism seems to provide for possibility within the constraints imposed by past events. Notably, most determinist arguments stem from hindsight and are extrapolated into foresight. Determinism is an important concept in the discussion of [[Freedom]], as it has implications for how we approach theories of justice.