Atomism
Definition
An ancient materialistic philosophical doctrine, formulated by Democritus and Leucippus and expanded by Epicurus and Lucretius, stating that all matter and the universe are composed of tiny, indivisible, and indestructible particles called atoms moving in a vacuum. In a modern sense, it describes theoretical or methodological orientations in physics or psychology that explain complex phenomena by reducing them to independent minimal components.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Atomism
- Corpuscularism
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Neuter noun, singular only, taking standard genitive endings in formal syntax contexts. |
| Formation | Neologistic loanword from French 'atomisme', built by combining the base 'atom' with the doctrinal suffix '-ism'. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [a.to.ˈmism] |
| Source | Lexicon of Intellectual History, Philosophy of Science, and Epistemological Systems |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: Profesorul a explicat modul în care acest atomism antic a anticipat marile descoperiri ale fizicii nucleare moderne.
EN: The professor explained how this ancient atomism anticipated the major discoveries of modern nuclear physics.
RO: În psihologie, acel atomism conceptual propus de asociaționiști considera senzațiile ca fiind elemente ireductibile.
EN: In psychology, that conceptual atomism proposed by associationists considered sensations as irreducible elements.
RO: Criticii susțin că un atomism metodologic exagerat ne împiedică să înțelegem sistemele biologice în totalitatea lor.
EN: Critics argue that an exaggerated methodological atomism prevents us from understanding biological systems in their entirety.
Idioms & Phrases
Atomism logic / Logical atomism / Bertrand Russell's theory
RO: Teorie filozofică modernă dezvoltată de Bertrand Russell și Ludwig Wittgenstein care susține că limbajul și lumea pot fi analizate în fapte atomice minimale.
EN: A modern philosophical theory developed by Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein asserting that language and the world can be analyzed into minimal atomic facts.
Atomism mecanicist / Mechanistic atomism
RO: Orientare științifică din secolele XVII-XVIII care explica toate fenomenele naturii prin mișcarea mecanică și ciocnirea corpusculilor de materie.
EN: A scientific orientation from the 17th and 18th centuries that explained all natural phenomena through the mechanical movement and collision of matter corpuscles.
Atomism psihologic / Psychological atomism / elementarism
RO: Curent teoretic care încearcă să reducă întreaga viață psihică la asocieri de elemente senzoriale simple și izolate.
EN: A theoretical current that attempts to reduce the entire mental life to associations of simple and isolated sensory elements.
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