Isms Flashcards
Absolutism
doctrine of government by a single absolute ruler; autocracy
Absurdism
doctrine that we live in an irrational universe
Academicism
doctrine that nothing can be known
Accidentalism
theory that events do not have causes
Acosmism
disbelief in existence of eternal universe distinct from God
Adamitism
nakedness for religious reasons
Adevism
denial of gods of mythology and legend
Adiaphorism
doctrine of theological indifference or latitudinarianism
Adoptionism
belief that Christ was the adopted and not natural son of God
aestheticism
doctrine that beauty is central to other moral principles
Agapism
ethics of love
Agathism
belief in ultimate triumph of good despite evil means
Agnosticism
doctrine that we can know nothing beyond material phenomena
Animism
attribution of soul to inanimate objects
Anthropotheism
belief that gods are only deified men
Antidisestablishmentarianism
doctrine opposed to removing Church of England’s official religion status
Antilapsarianism
denial of doctrine of the fall of humanity
Antinomianism
doctrine of the rejection of moral law
Antipedobaptism
denial of validity of infant baptism
Apocalypticism
doctrine of the imminent end of the world
Aspheterism
denial of the right to private property
Atheism
belief that there is no God
Atomism
belief that the universe consists of small indivisible particles
Autosoterism
belief that one can obtain salvation through oneself
Autotheism
belief that one is God incarnate or that one is Christ
Bitheism
belief in two gods
Bonism
the doctrine that the world is good but not perfect
Bullionism
belief in the importance of metallic currency in economics
Casualism
the belief that chance governs all things
Catabaptism
belief in the wrongness of infant baptism
Catastrophism
belief in rapid geological and biological change
Collectivism
doctrine of communal control of means of production
Collegialism
theory that church is independent from the state
Conceptualism
theory that universal truths exist as mental concepts
Conservatism
belief in maintaining political and social traditions
Cosmism
belief that the cosmos is a self-existing whole
Cosmotheism
the belief that identifies God with the cosmos
Deism
belief in God but rejection of religion
Determinism
doctrine that events are predetermined by preceding events or laws
Diphysitism
belief in the dual nature of Christ
Ditheism
belief in two equal gods
Ditheletism doctrine that Christ had two wills
Dualism doctrine that the universe is controlled by one good and one evil force
Egalitarianism belief that humans ought to be equal in rights and privileges
Egoism doctrine that the pursuit of self-interest is the highest good
Egotheism identification of oneself with God
Eidolism belief in ghosts
Emotivism theory that moral statements are inherently biased
Entryism doctrine of joining a group to change its policies
Epiphenomenalism doctrine that mental processes are epiphenomena of brain activity
Eternalism the belief that matter has existed eternally
Eudaemonism ethical belief that happiness equals morality
Euhemerism explanation of mythology as growing out of history
Existentialism doctrine of individual human responsibility in an unfathomable universe
Experientialism doctrine that knowledge comes from experience
Fallibilism the doctrine that empirical knowledge is uncertain
Fatalism doctrine that events are fixed and humans are powerless
Fideism doctrine that knowledge depends on faith over reason
Finalism belief that an end has or can be reached
Fortuitism belief in evolution by chance variation
Functionalism doctrine emphasising utility and function
Egocentrism belief that Earth is the centre of the universe
Gnosticism belief that freedom derives solely from knowledge
Gradualism belief that things proceed by degrees
Gymnobiblism belief that the Bible can be presented to unlearned without commentary
Hedonism belief that pleasure is the highest good
Henism doctrine that there is only one kind of existence
Henotheism belief in one tribal god
Historicism
belief that all phenomena are historically determined
Holism
belief that fundamental universal principle is creation of wholes
Holobaptism
belief in baptism with total immersion in water
Humanism
belief that human interests and mind are paramount
Hylicism
materialism
Hylomorphism
belief that matter is cause of the universe
Hylopathism
belief in ability of matter to affect the spiritual world
hylotheism
belief that the universe is purely material
hylozoism
doctrine that all matter is endowed with life
illuminism
belief in an inward spiritual light
illusionism
belief that the external world is philosophy
imagism
doctrine of use of precise images with unrestricted subject
immanentism
belief in an immanent or permanent god
immaterialism
the doctrine that there is no material substance
immoralism
rejection of morality
indifferentism
the belief that all religions are equally valid
individualism
belief that individual interests and rights are paramount
instrumentalism
doctrine that ideas are instruments of action
intellectualism
belief that all knowledge is derived from reason
interactionism
belief that mind and body act on each other
introspectionism
doctrine that knowledge of mind must derive from introspection
intuitionism
belief that the perception of truth is by intuition
kathenotheism
polytheism in which each god is considered single and supreme
kenotism
doctrine that Christ rid himself of divinity in becoming human
laicism
doctrine of opposition to clergy and priests
latitudinarianism
doctrine of broad liberality in religious belief and conduct
laxism
belief that an unlikely opinion may be safely followed
legalism
belief that salvation depends on strict adherence to the law
liberalism
doctrine of social change and tolerance
libertarianism
doctrine that personal liberty is the highest value
malism
the belief that the world is evil
materialism
belief that matter is the only extant substance
mechanism
belief that life is explainable by mechanical forces
meliorism
the belief the world tends to become better
mentalism
belief that the world can be explained as aspect of the mind
messianism
belief in a single messiah or saviour
millenarianism
belief that an ideal society will be produced in the near future
modalism
belief in unity of Father
monadism theory that there exist ultimate units of being
monergism theory that the Holy Spirit alone can act
monism belief that all things can be placed in one category
monophysitism belief that Christ was primarily divine but in human form
monopsychism belief that individuals have a single eternal soul
monotheism belief in only one God
monotheletism belief that Christ had only one will
mortalism belief that the soul is mortal
mutualism belief in mutual dependence of society and the individual
nativism belief that the mind possesses inborn thoughts
naturalism belief that the world can be explained in terms of natural forces
necessarianism theory that actions are determined by prior history; fatalism
neonomianism theory that the gospel abrogates earlier moral codes
neovitalism theory that total material explanation is impossible
nihilism denial of all reality; extreme scepticism
nominalism doctrine that naming of things defines reality
nomism view that moral conduct consists in observance of laws
noumenalism belief in existence of noumena
nullibilism denial that the soul exists in space
numenism belief in local deities or spirits
objectivism doctrine that all reality is objective
omnism belief in all religions
optimism doctrine that we live in the best of all possible worlds
organicism conception of life or society as an organism
paedobaptism doctrine of infant baptism
panaesthetism theory that consciousness may inhere generally in matter
pancosmism theory that the material universe is all that exists
panegoism solipsism
panpsychism theory that all nature has a psychic side
pansexualism theory that all thought derived from sexual instinct
panspermatism belief in origin of life from extraterrestrial germs
pantheism belief that the universe is God; belief in many gods
panzoism belief that humans and animals share vital life energy
pejorism severe pessimism
perfectibilism doctrine that humans capable of becoming perfect
perfectionism doctrine that moral perfection constitutes the highest value
personalism doctrine that humans possess spiritual freedom
pessimism doctrine that the universe is essentially evil
phenomenalism belief that phenomena are the only realities
physicalism belief that all phenomena reducible to verifiable assertions
physitheism attribution of physical form and attributes to deities
pluralism belief that reality consists of several kinds or entities
polytheism belief in multiple deities
positivism doctrine that that which is not observable is not knowable
pragmatism doctrine emphasizing practical value of philosophy
predestinarianism belief that what ever is to happen is already fixed
prescriptivism belief that moral edicts are merely orders with no truth value
primitivism doctrine that a simple and natural life is morally best
privatism attitude of avoiding involvement in outside interests
probabiliorism belief that when in doubt one must choose most likely answer
probabilism belief that knowledge is always probable but never absolute
psilanthropism denial of Christ’s divinity
psychism belief in universal soul
psychomorphism doctrine that inanimate objects have human mentality
psychopannychism belief souls sleep from death to resurrection
psychotheism doctrine that God is a purely spiritual entity
pyrrhonism total or radical skepticism
quietism doctrine of enlightenment through mental tranquility
racism belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities
realism doctrine that objects of cognition are real
reductionism belief that complex phenomena are reducible to simple ones
regalism doctrine of the monarch’s supremacy in church affairs
representationalism doctrine that ideas rather than external objects are basis of knowledge
republicanism belief that a republic is the best form of government
romanticism belief in sentimental feeling in artistic expression
sacerdotalism belief that priests are necessary mediators between God and mankind
sacramentarianism belief that sacraments have unusual properties
scientism belief that the methods of science are universally applicable
self-determinism doctrine that the actions of a self are determined by itself
sensationalism belief that ideas originate solely in sensation
siderism belief that the stars influence human affairs
skepticism doctrine that true knowledge is always uncertain
socialism doctrine of centralized state control of wealth and property
solarism excessive use of solar myths in explaining mythology
solifidianism doctrine that faith alone will ensure salvation
solipsism theory that self-existence is the only certainty
somatism materialism
spatialism doctrine that matter has only spatial
spiritualism
belief that nothing is real except the soul or spirit
stercoranism
belief that the consecrated Eucharist is digested and evacuated
stoicism
belief in indifference to pleasure or pain
subjectivism
doctrine that all knowledge is subjective
substantialism
belief that there is a real existence underlying phenomena
syndicalism
doctrine of direct worker control of capital
synergism
belief that human will and divine spirit cooperate in salvation
terminism
doctrine that there is a time limit for repentance
thanatism
belief that the soul dies with the body
theism
belief in the existence of God without special revelation
theocentrism
belief that God is central fact of existence
theopantism
belief that God is the only reality
theopsychism
belief that the soul is of a divine nature
thnetopsychism
belief that the soul dies with the body
titanism spirit of revolt or defiance against social conventions
tolerationism doctrine of toleration of religious differences
totemism belief that a group has a special kinship with an object or animal
transcendentalism theory that emphasizes that which transcends perception
transmigrationism belief that soul passes into other body at death
trialism doctrine that humans have three separate essences (body
tritheism
belief that the members of the Trinity are separate gods
triumphalism
belief in the superiority of one particular religious creed
tuism
theory that individuals have a second or other self
tutiorism
doctrine that one should take the safer moral course
tychism
theory that accepts role of pure chance
ubiquitarianism
belief that Christ is everywhere
undulationism
theory that light consists of waves
universalism
belief in universal salvation
utilitarianism
belief that utility of actions determines moral value
vitalism
the doctrine that there is a vital force behind life
voluntarism
belief that the will dominates the intellect
zoism
doctrine that life originates from a single vital principle
zoomorphism
conception of a god or man in animal form
zootheism
attribution of divine qualities to animals
