atomism

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the doctrine that matter or reality is composed of discrete, ultimately indivisible units

   Ancient atomism explained material change as the rearrangement of indivisible particles.

2. 2
   noun

   a philosophical view that treats facts or entities as logically independent rather than parts of an indivisible whole

   Russell's logical atomism analyzed the world into independent facts.

3. 3
   noun

   a psychological theory that reduces mental life to simple sensations and feelings combined by association

   Psychological atomism tried to construct complex ideas from elementary sensations.

4. 4
   noun

   the view that society is fundamentally composed of individuals rather than irreducible social wholes

   Critics argued that social atomism ignored institutions and shared traditions.

Formed from atom + -ism. Atom comes through Latin atomus from Greek atomos, 'uncuttable' or 'indivisible,' from a- ('not') + temnein ('to cut'). The suffix -ism marks a doctrine; the term broadened from physical theories of matter to logical, psychological, and social theories built from discrete units.

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