Atheism is to be contrasted with agnosticism , which takes a skeptical attitude towards the existence of gods but does not proclaim disbelief. The word atomism is used to describe any metaphysical or cosmological idea that reality is fundamentally made up only of extremely small, indivisible particles. This view was widespread among certain ancient Greek philosophers, and was revived by some scientists and philosophers from the seventeenth century onwards. Authoritarianism is a term used to describe the political practice or philosophical defense of the subordination by force of the wishes and aims of the individual to the interests of the state. Following the usage of Jeanne Kirkpatrick, authoritarianism is sometimes held to involve a less egregious violation of individual rights than totalitarianism .
Automatism is the doctrine that all animal activities are mechanistically determined.
The view is part of Cartesianism , since Descartes held to a strict determinism in biological affairs.