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noun

der Monismus

monism

Definition & meaning

Monism is the philosophical view that reality is ultimately grounded in one fundamental substance, principle, or kind of being. It contrasts with views that treat mind and matter, or other aspects of reality, as fundamentally separate.

Different forms of monism explain this underlying unity in different ways. Materialist monism holds that everything is ultimately material, while idealist monism holds that reality is fundamentally mental or spiritual.

Grammar & word origin

  • Article: der
  • Plural: die Monismen, though the plural is uncommon
  • Word type: masculine noun
  • Origin: From Greek mónos, meaning “alone” or “single,” combined with the suffix -ismus, used to form names for doctrines or systems of thought.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no exact everyday synonym. Einheitslehre (“doctrine of unity”) is a close descriptive alternative, but it is broader and does not specify which kind of unity a philosophy proposes.

  • Antonyms:
    • Dualismus treats reality as fundamentally divided into two kinds or principles, such as mind and matter.
    • Pluralismus holds that reality is made up of several irreducible kinds or principles.

Common phrases & collocations

  • philosophischer Monismus — philosophical monism
  • materialistischer Monismus — materialist monism
  • idealistischer Monismus — idealist monism

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Examples

Der Monismus sieht alles als eine Einheit.noun

Monism views everything as a single unity.

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