nominalist Definition
a philosopher who holds that general or abstract words do not represent existing entities and that universals are no more than names assigned to particular objects.
Using nominalist: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "nominalist" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
Nominalists argue that abstract concepts like 'justice' or 'beauty' do not actually exist in the world, but are only names we give to particular things that share certain characteristics.
Example
Medieval nominalists believed that universals were nothing more than words, whereas realists believed that they corresponded to objective reality.
Example
The nominalist position has been influential in many areas of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.
nominalist Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for nominalist
- conceptualist
- anti-realist
Phrases with nominalist
the philosophical position that denies the existence of abstract entities, such as universals, and holds that general or abstract words do not represent existing entities
Example
Nominalist theory has been influential in many areas of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.
a school of thought in medieval philosophy that denied the existence of universals and held that only individual objects exist
Example
Medieval nominalism was a reaction against the Platonic and Aristotelian views of universals.
a philosophical position that denies the existence of abstract entities, such as universals, and holds that general or abstract words do not represent existing entities
Example
Modern nominalism has been influential in many areas of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.
Origins of nominalist
from Latin 'nomen', meaning 'name'
Summary: nominalist in Brief
A nominalist [ˈnɑːmɪnəlɪst] is a philosopher who believes that general or abstract words do not represent existing entities and that universals are no more than names assigned to particular objects. Nominalists argue that abstract concepts like 'justice' or 'beauty' do not actually exist in the world, but are only names we give to particular things that share certain characteristics. The nominalist position has been influential in many areas of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.
