nominalism
noun
(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.
nominalist
-
a word derived from
nominalism.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His responses aren’t nonsensical; they’re nominalist, which is to say that David, like certain Anglo-American philosophers, can’t or won’t accept the reality of abstract numbers.
From New York Times ● May 26, 2020
As must the band Merchandise, whose name – one might think – is a nominalist satire of commodification by the music industry.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 12, 2013
Neither the nominalist nor the mathematical usages are particularly common, and we cannot show any direct influence from either of them on seventeenth-century usages.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
In the thirteenth century men did not depend so much as now on actual experiment, but the nominalist said in effect the same thing.
From Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres by Henry Adams
Thus, he clearly showed that he was a nominalist, and philosophically opposed to the March Hare who had recommended Alice to say what she meant.
From The philosophy of B*rtr*nd R*ss*ll by Various
