Pronunciation: [mˈɛkɐnˌɪsts] (IPA) 
The word "mechanists", which refers to those who specialize in mechanics, can be spelled with a long "e" sound in the first syllable or a short "e" sound. The former is represented in the IPA phonetic transcription as / məˈkænɪsts /, while the latter is / mɛˈkænɪsts /. Regardless of which spelling is used, the pronunciation of the final syllable is the same: it is pronounced as "nists" with a short "i" sound, as in "wrist".
Mechanists, also known as mechanical philosophers, refer to a group of thinkers or scientists who adhere to the philosophical doctrine of mechanism. Mechanism, in this context, is the belief that all natural phenomena can be explained and understood through the principles of mechanics and physics, without the need for any supernatural or metaphysical explanations.
These thinkers emerged during the Enlightenment period, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, when the scientific revolution was in full swing. They sought to describe and explain the workings of the natural world, including living beings, solely in terms of the fundamental laws of physics and the interactions of matter and motion.
For mechanists, everything in the universe, from the smallest particles to the most complex organisms, is essentially a vast machine following predetermined laws of nature. They argued that human beings are essentially complex machines, consisting of physical matter and governed by the same laws as the rest of the physical world. This perspective influenced disciplines such as biology, psychology, and even philosophy, as mechanistic explanations and reductionism became popular.
The concept of mechanism was often contrasted with vitalism, another philosophical and scientific perspective that suggested the existence of a non-physical life force or vital force within living organisms. Mechanists rejected such notions, emphasizing instead the purely physical and deterministic nature of the universe.
Overall, mechanists sought to provide a comprehensive and scientific understanding of nature without resorting to supernatural or spiritual explanations, emphasizing the power of reason, observation, and experimentation in uncovering the laws that govern the physical world.
The word "mechanists" originates from the noun "mechanism", which itself comes from the Greek word "mēkhanḗ" meaning "contrivance, machine". "Mechanism" entered the English language in the early 17th century. The word "mechanist" is formed by adding the suffix "-ist", indicating a practitioner or supporter, to "mechanism". A mechanist refers to someone who studies or believes in the mechanistic theory, which suggests that everything in the universe, including living organisms, can be explained using mechanical principles.
