Arbitrariness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. the quality of being based on personal whim or preference rather than reason, logic, or objective standards
  2. the characteristic of being determined by chance, impulse, or individual discretion instead of fixed rules or principles
  3. the state of lacking a rational or justifiable basis and depending instead on subjective choice or random decision-making
  4. the quality of being based on random choice or personal whim rather than reason or system
  5. the characteristic of being determined by chance or individual preference instead of objective principle

Etymology: The concept behind this noun springs from the adjective "arbitrary," which itself entered English in the late Middle Ages, around the 15th century. Originally, "arbitrary" was borrowed from Old French "arbitraire," which came from the Latin "arbitrarius," meaning "dependent on the will or judgment of an arbiter." An arbiter was someone appointed to settle disputes, so the word carried the sense of something decided by personal judgment rather than fixed law. Over time, the meaning of this adjective broadened to suggest decisions or actions made on a whim, without objective criteria or necessity. This shift gave rise to the abstract noun form, which crystallizes the idea of something being based purely on individual choice or chance, lacking a predictable or rational foundation. The suffix "-ness" is a common English way to turn adjectives into nouns indicating a state or quality. Thus, the noun in question emerged naturally in English to denote the quality or condition of being arbitrary. It captures the essence of unpredictability, subjectivity, or caprice that the adjective describes. While the adjective has been in use for centuries, the noun form is somewhat more recent, gaining prominence in philosophical, linguistic, and legal discussions where the nature of decisions, rules, or signs is analyzed in terms of whether they are fixed by necessity or left to chance or will. This term thus serves as an abstract umbrella for exploring the balance between order and disorder, reason and whim, in human affairs.

Synonyms: capriciousness, randomness, whimsy, subjectivity, unpredictability

Antonyms: consistency, reason, rationality, logic, order