1. People who oppose or reject mechanistic explanations or mechanistic philosophy, particularly the view that all phenomena can be reduced to mechanical causes and physical laws.
Usage: plural form; philosophy; formal
2. Individuals who resist or oppose the application of mechanical systems, automation, or mechanization in society, industry, or daily life.
Usage: plural form; historical

Examples

• The antimechanists argued that consciousness cannot be fully explained by brain chemistry alone.
• Nineteenth-century antimechanists feared that industrial machinery would dehumanize workers.
• Some antimechanists in biology maintain that living organisms possess properties beyond mechanical explanation.
• The debate between mechanists and antimechanists has shaped modern philosophy of mind.
• Antimechanists have long questioned whether human behavior can be reduced to mere physical processes.