Which term denotes the presumption that the universe is lawful and orderly, with events caused by other events?

• A. Empiricism
• B. Replication
• C. Determinism
• D. Experimentation

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is that the universe operates under lawful, predictable causation. This view, determinism, holds that events do not occur at random but are caused by prior events or conditions, in a way that makes outcomes predictable when the right variables are understood. In practice, this means there are identifiable relationships between environmental events and behavior, so scientists can study, predict, and influence what happens next.

Empiricism is about gaining knowledge through observation and experience, not specifically about causal order. Replication refers to repeating a study to ensure results are reliable, and experimentation is the act of testing hypotheses to explore cause-and-effect. While related, those terms don’t capture the belief in an orderly, causally determined universe the way determinism does.