Was physics ever deterministic? The historical basis of determinism and the image of classical physics

Abstract Determinism is generally regarded as one of the main characteristics classical physics, that is, physics eighteenth and nineteenth century. However, an inquiry into century shows aim accounting for all phenomena on basis deterministic equations motion remained far out reach. Famous statements universal determinism, such those Laplace Du Bois-Reymond, were made within a specific context research program did not represent majority view. I argue in this period, determinism was often expectation rather than established result, especially toward late early twentieth century, it thought presupposition physics: physicists Mach, Poincaré Boltzmann feature scientific research, claim about world. It only retrospectively image created according to which uniformly deterministic.