anthropopsychism
|an-thro-po-psy-chism|
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/ˌænθrəpoʊˈsaɪkɪzəm/
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/ˌænθrəpəʊˈsaɪkɪzəm/
ascribing human mind to nonhumans
Etymology
'anthropopsychism' originates from Greek elements: 'anthropos' meaning 'human' and 'psyche' meaning 'soul' or 'mind', plus the English suffix '-ism' denoting a doctrine or belief.
'anthropopsychism' was formed in modern scholarly and theological English by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'anthropo-' with 'psychism' (from 'psyche'), following a pattern of coining technical terms in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Initially built from elements meaning 'human' and 'soul/mind', the term came to denote specifically the doctrine or tendency to ascribe human-like mental attributes to non-human entities; its usage has remained specialized and relatively rare.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the attribution of human mental characteristics, emotions, or motives to non-human beings, deities, or forces; treating nonhumans as if they have a human-like psyche.
The mythic tales show a strong tendency toward anthropopsychism, giving rivers and mountains human feelings and intentions.
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Noun 2
a philosophical or theological doctrine that emphasizes or posits human-like psychic qualities as central to understanding minds, souls, or spiritual phenomena (less commonly used in this technical sense).
Some critics accused the early theorist of anthropopsychism for interpreting divine action exclusively in human psychological terms.
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Last updated: 2025/08/26 18:26