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identity theory

British  

noun

  1. philosophy a form of materialism which holds mental states to be identical with certain states of the brain and so to have no separate existence, but regards this identity as contingent so that mentalistic and physicalistic language are not held to be synonymous See also anomalous monism materialism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Manzotti’s belief, which he calls “Spread Mind,” or mind-object identity theory, is that objects are our experience.

From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2019

Economists Marianne Bertrand, Emir Kamenica, and Jessica Pan have imported social identity theory from social psychology to study the evolution of gender relations over the past few decades.

From Slate • Dec. 19, 2012

Social identity theory holds that individuals define themselves as members of groups, each of which has a set of behaviors that are expected of their members.

From Slate • Dec. 19, 2012