noun
- a person who believes in the existence of God based on reason and nature, but rejects organized religion and divine revelation
Usage: often capitalized when referring to historical Deism movement; common in 17th–18th century philosophy
Examples
- Thomas Jefferson was influenced by deist philosophy during the Enlightenment.
- A deist might believe in God but not attend church or follow religious doctrine.
- The deist argues that reason, not faith, should guide our understanding of the divine.
- Many founding fathers of the United States held deist views.
- Unlike an atheist, a deist acknowledges the existence of a creator.