Etymology
The word "idealist" comes from the Greek word "ιδεαλιστής" (idealistēs), which is derived from the word "ιδέα" (idea), meaning "form, pattern, or archetype."
Meaning
In philosophy, an idealist is someone who believes that reality is fundamentally mental or spiritual, rather than material. Idealists argue that the mind or consciousness is the primary or only reality, and that the physical world is either an illusion or a manifestation of the mind.
In everyday language, an idealist is someone who is often visionary and impractical. They have high ideals and principles, and they tend to focus on the perfect rather than the possible.
Origin
The concept of idealism has its roots in ancient Greek philosophy. The pre-Socratic philosopher Parmenides argued that reality is a single, unchanging, and indivisible substance. This substance, which he called "Being," is known only through the intellect, and the senses provide us with only a deceptive illusion of reality.
Plato, a student of Socrates, further developed the ideas of Parmenides. He argued that the physical world is merely a reflection of the real world, which is the world of Forms or Ideas. The Forms are eternal, unchanging, and perfect, and the physical world is an imperfect imitation of them.
Idealism remained a dominant force in Western philosophy until the rise of empiricism in the 17th century. Empiricism, which is based on the idea that all knowledge comes from experience, led to a decline in idealism. However, idealism has continued to be a major force in philosophy, and it has been revived in recent years by philosophers such as Martin Heidegger and Edmund Husserl.
Etymology The word ideal derives from the Greek word idea meaning form pattern
Etymology The word idea is derived from the Greek word idein ἰδεῖν meaning
Etymology The word idealism is derived from the Greek words idéa ἰδέα me
Etymology The word ideal derives from the Greek word idea meaning form pattern
Etymology The word utopian is derived from the Greek words ou not and topos pl
Etymology The word head comes from the Old English word heafod which itself derives
Etymology From Middle English post from Anglo Norman and Old French post from Latin p
Etymology Derived from the Latin word radix meaning root Meaning Fundamental
Etymology The word psyche comes from the ancient Greek word ψυχή psukhē mean
Etymology Middle English from Old English trymian to make firm strengthen fortify
Etymology The word canon originates from the Greek word kanōn meaning rule or m
