atomism

American  

[at-uh-miz-uhm] / ˈæt əˌmɪz əm /

noun

1. Also called atomic theory.  Philosophy. the theory that minute, discrete, finite, and indivisible elements are the ultimate constituents of all matter.

2. Psychology. a method or theory that reduces all psychological phenomena to simple elements.

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atomism British  

/ ˈætəˌmɪzəm /

noun

1. an ancient philosophical theory, developed by Democritus and expounded by Lucretius, that the ultimate constituents of the universe are atoms See atom

2. 1. any of a number of theories that hold that some objects or phenomena can be explained as constructed out of a small number of distinct types of simple indivisible entities

   2. any theory that holds that an understanding of the parts is logically prior to an understanding of the whole Compare holism

3. psychol the theory that experiences and mental states are composed of elementary units

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Other Word Forms

• atomist
  noun
• atomistic
  adjective
• atomistical
  adjective
• atomistically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of atomism

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

She begins in the 5th century B.C., when Democritus formulated his atomism, locating the ultimate nature of things in matter rather than divinity.

From Washington Post • Apr. 10, 2023

Note that the atomism alluded to here is different from what is referred to as atomic theory.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

Today, some might think that atomism and Aristotle’s teleological view have evolved into a theory of cells that resolves the acorn-oak tree identity problem.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

It is known for its naturalism, and scholars of the Vaisheshika school developed a form of atomism.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

In English there was an alternative: Robert Boyle invented the term ‘the corpuscularian philosophy’ in 1662 to cover both ancient atomism and Descartes’ new corpuscular theory.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton