Definitions for vitalism
ˈvaɪt lˌɪz əmvi·tal·ism

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. vitalismnoun

   (philosophy) a doctrine that life is a vital principle distinct from physics and chemistry

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. vitalismnoun

   the doctrine that life involves some immaterial "vital force", and cannot be explained scientifically

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Vitalism

   Vitalism is a belief that starts from the premise that "living organisms are fundamentally different from non-living entities because they contain some non-physical element or are governed by different principles than are inanimate things." Where vitalism explicitly invokes a vital principle, that element is often referred to as the "vital spark," "energy," or "élan vital," which some equate with the soul. In the 18th and 19th centuries vitalism was discussed among biologists, between those who felt that the known mechanics of physics would eventually explain the difference between life and non-life and vitalists who argued that the processes of life could not be reduced to a mechanistic process. Vitalist biologists such as Johannes Reinke proposed testable hypotheses meant to show inadequacies with mechanistic explanations, but their experiments failed to provide support for vitalism. Biologists now consider vitalism in this sense to have been refuted by empirical evidence, and hence regard it either as a superseded scientific theory, or, since the mid-20th century, as a pseudoscience.Vitalism has a long history in medical philosophies: many traditional healing practices posited that disease results from some imbalance in vital forces.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. vitalism

   Vitalism is a philosophical belief or theory that the life and functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle or life force, distinct from physical or chemical forces. It often implies that this force is supernatural or spiritual in nature, and cannot be fully explained by scientific or mechanistic means.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Vitalismnoun

   the doctrine that all the functions of a living organism are due to an unknown vital principle distinct from all chemical and physical forces

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Vitalism

   Vitalism is the doctrine, often advocated in the past but now rejected by mainstream science, that "living organisms are fundamentally different from non-living entities because they contain some non-physical element or are governed by different principles than are inanimate things". Where vitalism explicitly invokes a vital principle, that element is often referred to as the "vital spark", "energy" or "élan vital", which some equate with the soul. Vitalism has a long history in medical philosophies: most traditional healing practices posited that disease results from some imbalance in vital forces. In the Western tradition founded by Hippocrates, these vital forces were associated with the four temperaments and humours; Eastern traditions posited an imbalance or blocking of qi.

U.S. National Library of MedicineRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Vitalism

   The metaphysical doctrine that the functions and processes of life are due to a vital principle distinct from physicochemical forces and that the laws of physics and chemistry alone cannot explain life functions and processes. Vitalism is opposed to mechanistic materialism. The belief was that matter was divided into two classes based on behavior with respect to heat: organic and inorganic. Inorganic material could be melted but could always be recovered by removing the heat source. Organic compounds changed form upon heating and could not be recovered by removing the heat source. The proposed explanation for the difference between organic and inorganic compounds was the Vitalism Theory, which stated that inorganic materials did not contain the "vital force" of life.

Matched Categories

1. • Philosophical Doctrine
   • Philosophy

How to pronounce vitalism?

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How to say vitalism in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of vitalism in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of vitalism in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=vitalism
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Vitalism
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitalism
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vitalism
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=vitalism