NOMINALIST Meaning and
Definition
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A nominalist is an individual who follows the philosophical school of nominalism, which posits that universals or abstract concepts do not have an independent existence beyond the material world. Derived from the Latin term "nominalis" meaning "of or pertaining to names," nominalism rejects the notion of objective, universal entities and instead asserts that these concepts are merely names or labels assigned to groups of similar individual entities.
Nominalists refute the idea of abstract entities as being ontologically real and argue that they exist only as mental constructs or linguistic conveniences. They propose that the only entities that have genuine existence are individual objects or particulars. According to nominalists, universals like "beauty," "justice," or "love" are not actual things that exist in the world; they are simply general terms that refer to shared characteristics among individual instances.
This philosophical position dates back to the Middle Ages and became prominent in the works of philosophers such as William of Ockham and John Duns Scotus. Nominalism played a significant role in debates around metaphysics and the nature of reality. It offers an alternative perspective to realism, which asserts the existence of universal concepts and essences independent of the material world.
In summary, a nominalist is a philosopher who rejects the existence of abstract entities and posits that universal concepts are merely names or labels assigned to groups of similar individual entities.
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One who holds the doctrines of nominalism.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for NOMINALIST
Etymology of NOMINALIST
The word "nominalist" stems from the medieval Latin term "nominalista", which is derived from the Latin word "nomen", meaning "name" or "term". The term was coined to describe a philosophical position developed in the Middle Ages known as nominalism. Nominalism is the belief that abstract concepts, such as qualities or universals, are nothing more than names or labels given to groups of individual objects. This philosophical school of thought was in contrast to realism, which argues that abstract concepts have an existence independent of human thought or language. The term "nominalist" was first used in the 14th century to identify individuals who aligned themselves with this philosophical perspective.
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