surdéterminer

Senses

1. 1.

   to overdetermine

   to determine or specify excessively, beyond what is necessary

2. 2.

   to over-constrain

   to impose too many constraints or conditions on a system or problem, making it unsolvable or over-defined

Examples

• "Le système est surdéterminé par trop de paramètres conflictuels."

  The system is over-constrained by too many conflicting parameters.

• "On ne doit pas surdéterminer les conditions initiales si on veut laisser de la flexibilité au modèle."

  One must not over-specify the initial conditions if you want to leave flexibility for the model.

• "La psychanalyse rejette l'idée que les comportements seraient surdéterminés par une seule cause."

  Psychoanalysis rejects the idea that behaviors would be over-determined by a single cause.

Usage

This is a technical term used in mathematics, physics, psychoanalysis, and systems theory. It refers to cases where a system has more constraints or specifications than necessary to solve it uniquely. The past participle 'surdéterminé(e)(s)' is commonly used in passive constructions or as an adjective.