nominalism

American  

[nom-uh-nl-iz-uhm] / ˈnɒm ə nlˌɪz əm /

noun

1. (in medieval philosophy) the doctrine that general or abstract words do not stand for objectively existing entities and that universals are no more than names assigned to them.

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nominalism British  

/ ˈnɒmɪnəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the philosophical theory that the variety of objects to which a single general word, such as dog, applies have nothing in common but the name Compare conceptualism realism

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Other Word Forms

• nominalist noun
• nominalistic adjective
• nominalistically adverb
• nonnominalistic adjective
• unnominalistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of nominalism

From the French word nominalisme, dating back to 1830–40. See nominal, -ism

Example Sentences

At the U.N., he rejected a “declarationist nominalism which would assuage our consciences.”

From The New Yorker • Sep. 30, 2015

Such is the magnitude of these situations and their toll in innocent lives, that we must avoid every temptation to fall into a declarationist nominalism which would assuage our consciences.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2015

We have learned to hate all nominalism, all fiction in government, in business and, above all, in personal character.

From Evolution Of The Japanese, Social And Psychic by Gulick, Sidney Lewis

We must now study his intellectual character, as embodying the sceptical aspect which belonged to nominalism.

From History of Free Thought in Reference to The Christian Religion by Farrar, Adam Storey

A third point wherein Locke had not gone far enough for his successor, concerned the favorite English doctrine of nominalism.

From History of Modern Philosophy From Nicolas of Cusa to the Present Time by Falckenberg, Richard