Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

nominalism

Noun

/ˈnɒmɪnəlɪzəm/

Definition

Nominalism is a philosophical theory that asserts that universals or general concepts are mere names without any corresponding reality.

Examples

Nominalism challenges the idea that abstract concepts exist in a real sense.
According to nominalism, groups or categories are simply ways we organize our thoughts about different individual entities.
The debate between realism and nominalism has been central in philosophy for centuries.

Meaning

In nominalism, abstract concepts and categories do not have an independent existence; they exist only as names or labels for particular objects or instances.