Materialism

Materialism
Materialism Ma*te"ri*al*ism, n. [Cf. F. mat['e]rialisme.] 1. The doctrine of materialists; materialistic views and tenets; called also {philosophical materialism}. [1913 Webster]

The irregular fears of a future state had been supplanted by the materialism of Epicurus. --Buckminster. [1913 Webster]

2. The tendency to give undue importance to material interests as contrasted with spiritual concerns; devotion to the material nature and its wants. [1913 Webster]

3. Material substances in the aggregate; matter. [R. & Obs.] --A. Chalmers. [1913 Webster]

{philosophical materialism} The theory that matter and energy are the only objects existing within the universe, and that mental and spiritual phenomena are explainable as functions of the nervous system of people. Same as {materialism}[1]. [PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Materialism — • As the word itself signifies, Materialism is a philosophical system which regards matter as the only reality in the world, which undertakes to explain every event in the universe as resulting from the conditions and activity of matter, and… …   Catholic encyclopedia

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  • materialism — 1748, “philosophy that nothing exists except matter” (from Fr. matérialisme); 1851 as “a way of life based entirely on consumer goods.” From MATERIAL (Cf. material) + ISM (Cf. ism) …   Etymology dictionary

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  • Materialism —    As the principal terms and labels for Karl Marx’s central theory and approach suggest (“the materialist conception of history,” “historical materialism,” “dialectical materialism”), materialism lies at the heart of Marxism. Marx developed his… …   Historical dictionary of Marxism

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