Abstract Ideas

proposition C2

/ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən/ An idea, plan, or suggestion that is offered for consideration. M S

calamity C2

/kəˈlæmɪti/ An event that causes great harm, loss, or suffering; a disaster. M S

technicality C2

/ˌtɛk.nɪˈkæl.ə.ti/ a small or specialized rule or detail that can have an important practical consequence M S

vigilance C2

/ˈvɪd͡ʒɪlɪns/ vigilant attentiveness M S

monstrosity C2

/mɑːnˈstrɑːsəti/ something hideous or frightful M S

sensibility C2

/ˌsɛn(t)səˈbɪləti/ refined sensitivity to pleasurable or painful impressions M S

superfluous C2

/suˈpɝflu.əs/ More than is needed; unnecessary. M S

transcend C2

/trænˈsend/ to go beyond the ordinary limits, range, or physical constraints of something M S

bastion C2

/ˈbæsti.ən/ a group that defends a principle M S

testy C2

/ˈtɛsti/ easily irritated or annoyed M S

futility C2

/fjuˈtɪləti/ the quality of being pointless or incapable of producing a useful result M S

skepticism C2

/ˈskɛp.tɪˌsɪ.zəm/ doubt about the truth of something M S

catty C2

/ˈkæti/ marked by or arising from malice M S

seminal C2

/ˈsemɪnəl/ strongly influencing later ideas, work, or developments; formative and original M S

disintegration C2

/dɪsˌɪnd.əˈɡɹeɪ.ʃən/ a loss (or serious disruption) of organization in some system M S

fruition C2

/fɹuˈɪʃən/ The point at which a plan or effort is finally achieved and produces results. M S

logistic C2

/ləˈdʒɪstɪk/ relating to the detailed organization and movement of people, materials, or equipment M S

denote C2

/dɪˈnoʊt/ To be a sign of something; to indicate. M S

individualism C2

/ˌɪndɪvɪˈduːəˌlɪzəm/ The belief that the freedom and self-reliance of each person matter more than the group or the state. M S

pithy C2

/ˈpɪθi/ concise and full of meaning M S

happenstance C2

/ˈhæpənˌstæns/ A chance event; something that happens by luck rather than planning. M S

connotation C2

/ˌkɑnəˈteɪʃən/ A feeling or idea that a word suggests, beyond its literal meaning. M S

schism C2

/ˈskɪzəm/ division of a group into opposing factions M S

reciprocity C2

/ˌresɪˈprɑːsəti/ the practice or expectation of exchanging comparable actions, help, feelings, or advantages for mutual benefit M S

pragmatism C2

/ˈpræɡməˌtɪzəm/ a philosophical tradition that evaluates ideas partly through their practical consequences and role in inquiry M S

mainstay C2

/ˈmeɪn.steɪ/ a person or thing on which something chiefly depends for support or stability M S

convulsion C2

/kənˈvʌlʃən/ a violent disturbance M S

indiscernible C2

/ˌɪndɪˈsɝnəbəl/ impossible or extremely difficult to perceive clearly M S

anthropomorphic C2

/ˌænθrəpəˈmɔrfɪk/ attributing human form, emotions, motives, or behavior to a god, animal, object, or natural process M S

unanimity C2

/ˌjuːnəˈnɪməti/ complete agreement among everyone involved M S

rationalist C2

/ˈræʃ.ən.əl.ɪst/ a follower of rationalism, especially one who regards reason as a principal source of knowledge M S

oration C2

/ɔɹˈeɪʃən/ an instance of oratory M S

Aristotelian C2

/ˌærɪstəˈtiliən/ relating to Aristotle, his writings, or the philosophical and logical tradition based on them M S

rationalism C2

/ˈræʃ.ən.əl.ɪ.zəm/ in philosophy, the view that reason can provide at least some substantive knowledge independently of sensory experience, often through innate ideas or a priori reasoning M S

unshackle C2

/ʌnˈʃækəl/ to free a person, activity, or system from restrictions, restraints, or control M S

promethean C2

/prəˈmiːθiən/ daringly creative, inventive, or defiant of accepted limits M S

ontological C2

/ˌɑːn.təˈlɑː.dʒɪ.kəl/ relating to ontology or to the nature, categories, and conditions of being and existence M S

conglomeration C2

/kənˌɡlɑməˈreɪʃən/ a mixed mass or collection made up of many different things or previously separate parts M S

predominance C2

/pɹɪˈdɑmənəns/ the state of having greater power, influence, importance, or quantity than others M S

unperturbed C2

/ˌənpɝˈtɝːbd/ free from emotional agitation or nervous tension M S

formalism C2

/ˈfɔrməˌlɪzəm/ strict adherence to prescribed forms, rules, or procedures, sometimes at the expense of substance M S

arcanum C2

/ɑrˈkeɪnəm/ a secret, mystery, or piece of knowledge known only to initiates or specialists M S

disparagement C2

The act of criticizing someone or something in a way that lowers their value; belittlement. M S

ostensible C2

/ɑˈstɛns.ɪ.bəl/ Stated or appearing to be the reason or purpose, though the real one may be different. M S

evidential C2

/ˌɛvɪˈdɛnʃəl/ serving as evidence or relating to the evidence available for a claim M S

determinist C2

/dɪˈtɝmənɪst/ a person who holds that events, including human actions, are determined by prior causes or conditions M S

ontology C2

/ɑnˈtɑlədʒi/ the branch of metaphysics concerned with being, existence, and the fundamental kinds of things that exist M S

preeminence C2

/pɹiˈɛmənəns/ the state of being more important, powerful, skilled, or respected than others M S

sublimity C2

/səˈblɪməti/ the quality of inspiring awe through exceptional beauty, grandeur, or nobility M S

schema C2

/ˈskiː.mə/ an organized pattern, framework, or abstract form that can be applied to particular cases M S

plenum C2

/ˈplɛnəm/ a meeting attended by all members of a committee, legislature, or other body M S

individuation C2

/ˌɪndəˌvɪdʒuˈeɪʃən/ the process or principle by which an individual is distinguished from other individuals or from a universal kind M S

lacuna C2

/ləˈkjuːnə/ a gap, omission, or missing part in a text, argument, record, or body of knowledge M S

finitude C2

/ˈfɪn.əˌtuːd/ the state or quality of being finite, bounded, or limited M S

empiricist C2

/emˈpɪr.ə.sɪst/ a philosopher or thinker who holds that knowledge comes chiefly from experience and observation M S

metaphysician C2

/ˌmɛtəfɪˈzɪʃən/ a philosopher who studies or develops theories about metaphysics M S

organon C2

/ˈɔɹ.ɡəˌnɑn/ an instrument of thought or a systematic body of principles used in scientific or philosophical inquiry M S

transcendentalism C2

/ˌtrænsenˈdentəlˌɪzəm/ a nineteenth-century American philosophical and literary movement that emphasized spiritual intuition, individual conscience, and the inherent goodness of people and nature M S

evanescence C2

/ˌɛvəˈnɛsəns/ the event of fading and gradually vanishing from sight M S

marketability C2

/ˌmɑːrkɪtəˈbɪlɪti/ How easily something can be sold; its appeal to buyers. M S

unproved C2

/ʌnˈpruːvd/ not demonstrated, established, or confirmed by proof or sufficient evidence M S

refutable C2

/rɪˈfjuː.t̬ə.bəl/ capable of being disproved or shown to be false M S

conjuncture C2

/kənˈdʒʌŋk.tʃɚ/ a combination of events or circumstances, especially one creating a critical situation M S

fixity C2

/ˈfɪksəti/ the state of being firmly fixed in position or kept stable M S

indispensability C2

/ˌɪn.dɪˌspɛn.səˈbɪl.ə.ti/ the quality of being absolutely necessary and impossible to do without M S

totemic C2

/təʊˈtɛmɪk/ Treated as a powerful symbol that represents a group or idea. M S

heterodox C2

/ˈhɛt.ɚ.əˌdɑks/ not conforming to accepted or orthodox beliefs, doctrines, or methods, especially in religion, economics, or scholarship M S

rationalistic C2

/ˌræʃənəˈlɪstɪk/ relating to rationalism or emphasizing reason as the primary source of knowledge M S

postulation C2

/ˌpɑːs.tʃəˈleɪ.ʃən/ the act of proposing or assuming a claim, entity, or principle as a basis for reasoning M S

prurience C2

/ˈpɹʊəɹiəns/ An excessive or unhealthy interest in sexual matters. M S

sublunary C2

/sʌbˈlunəɹi/ literary: belonging to this earthly world rather than to heaven or a spiritual realm M S

antinomy C2

/ænˈtɪn.ə.mi/ a contradiction between two principles or conclusions that each appear reasonable or justified M S

immutability C2

the quality of being incapable of mutation M S

impassivity C2

/ˌɪm.pæˈsɪv.ə.ti/ apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions M S

perfectibility C2

/pɚˌfɛktəˈbɪləti/ the capacity to improve progressively, especially toward moral, intellectual, or social excellence M S

anthropocentric C2

/ˌænθrəpoʊˈsɛntrɪk/ regarding human beings as the central or most important element of existence, especially when interpreting nature or assigning value M S

subjectivism C2

/səbˈdʒɛktəˌvɪzəm/ the doctrine that knowledge, value, or reality depends fundamentally on the experiencing subject M S

incomprehensibility C2

/ɪnˌkɑːm.prɪˌhɛn.səˈbɪl.ə.ti/ the quality of being incomprehensible M S

nonmaterial C2

/ˌnɑːn.məˈtɪr.i.əl/ not composed of physical matter; immaterial M S

uncontestable C2

/ˌʌnkənˈtɛstəbəl/ not open to reasonable dispute or challenge; undeniable M S

conveniency C2

Convenience. M S

infinitude C2

/ɪnˈfɪnɪˌtud/ the state or quality of having no limit or end; boundlessness M S

espousal C2

/esˈpaʊzəl/ formal: the act of adopting, supporting, or becoming committed to a belief, cause, policy, or practice M S

irrevocability C2

/iˌɹɛvəkəˈbɪləti/ The state or condition of being irrevocable M S

undistributed C2

/ˌəndɪˈstrɪbjuːtɪd/ not divided, allocated, or spread among recipients or locations M S

desideratum C2

/dɪˌsɪdəˈɹɑːtəm/ something considered necessary or highly desirable M S

contradistinction C2

/ˌkɑntɹədɪˈstɪŋkʃən/ a distinction made by directly contrasting one thing with another M S

unembodied C2

/ənɛmˈbɒdɪd/ not having a material body M S

monistic C2

/məˈnɪstɪk/ relating to monism, the view that reality is ultimately one or consists of a single kind of substance M S

disembody C2

/ˌdɪs.ɪmˈbɑː.di/ to separate a spirit, voice, idea, or consciousness from a physical body M S

syllogistic C2

/ˌsɪləˈdʒɪstɪk/ relating to syllogisms or reasoning through syllogisms M S

practicability C2

/ˌpræk.tɪ.kəˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/ the quality of being feasible, workable, or capable of being put into practice M S

supposable C2

/səˈpoʊzəbəl/ capable of being supposed, imagined, or assumed M S

interpenetration C2

/ˌɪntərˌpɛnəˈtreɪʃən/ mutual penetration or overlapping presence within the same space or system M S

circumscription C2

/ˌsɝkəmˈskrɪpʃən/ the act of drawing a boundary around something or limiting its extent M S

monadology C2

/ˌmɑnəˈdɑlədʒi/ a metaphysical doctrine or study of monads, especially Leibniz's theory that reality consists of simple immaterial substances M S