Acting without thinking or consideration; lacking intelligence or awareness.
From 'mind' (Old English 'gemynd' meaning memory, thought) plus the suffix '-less' (Old English 'lēas' meaning without). The compound emerged in Middle English to describe absence of mental activity or consideration.
Mindless captures a peculiarly human paradox - beings capable of complex thought choosing not to engage that capacity. It's interesting how this word can describe both genuine automatism (mindless repetition) and moral criticism (mindless cruelty), showing how we judge the failure to use our defining characteristic.
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