Laplace's demon

proper noun

A creature in a thought experiment that knows the precise location and momentum of every atom in the universe, and therefore (according to determinism) can compute their past and future values using the laws of classical mechanics.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A creature in a thought experiment that knows the precise location and momentum of every atom in the universe, and therefore (according to determinism) can compute their past and future values using the laws of classical mechanics.

Origin

First described in 1814 by Pierre-Simon Laplace.

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Cite this entry
APA

Laplace's demon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Laplace's%20demon

MLA

“Laplace's demon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Laplace's%20demon. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Laplace's demon,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Laplace's%20demon.

Source: Laplace's demon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.