antirealist
|an-ti-real-ist|
/ˌæn.tiˈriː.ə.lɪst/
against realism
Etymology
'antirealist' is formed in modern English from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') combined with 'realist' (one who endorses 'realism').
'Realist' ultimately comes via French 'réaliste' and English 'realism' from Late Latin 'realis' (related to Latin 'res' meaning 'thing'); 'antirealist' developed in English by prefixing 'anti-' to 'realist' to denote opposition to realism.
Initially a straightforward composition meaning 'against realism', the term has come to be used as a technical label across philosophical domains (e.g., moral antirealism, scientific antirealism), specifying opposition to claims of independent existence in particular areas.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who denies or rejects realism in some domain (for example, someone who holds that certain kinds of entities or truths do not exist independently of our minds or practices).
She was an antirealist about moral facts, arguing they depend on human practices rather than existing independently.
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Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of antirealism; denying that something (a class of entities, truths, or properties) exists independently of our concepts or practices.
The paper presents an antirealist interpretation of scientific models.
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Last updated: 2025/09/08 19:24