VITALIST Meaning and
Definition
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Vitalist is a noun that refers to a person who adheres to or promotes the principles of vitalism. Vitalism is a philosophical and scientific belief that living organisms possess a vital force or energy that cannot be fully explained by physical and chemical processes alone.
A vitalist believes that life cannot be reduced to purely mechanistic explanations and that it encompasses an irreducible and dynamic principle that gives organisms their unique and characteristic qualities. They argue that this vital force is responsible for organizing, animating, and directing the different functions and processes within a living system.
In the field of biology, vitalists argue for the existence of a life force, separate from physical and chemical forces, that underlies living phenomena like growth, development, and reproduction. They view living organisms as more than just complex arrangements of molecules and instead emphasize the holistic and teleological aspects of life.
While vitalism was once a prominent school of thought in the 18th and 19th centuries, it has largely fallen out of favor in modern biology due to the rise of reductionism and the advances in understanding molecular and cellular processes. However, some remnants of vitalist thinking still persist in alternative and holistic approaches to medicine and certain philosophical discussions about the nature of life.
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One who adheres to the doctrine of vitalism.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for VITALIST
Etymology of VITALIST
The word "vitalist" is derived from the noun "vitalism", which dates back to the mid-18th century. It originates from the Latin word "vita", meaning "life". In Latin, "vita" is formed from the verb "vivere", meaning "to live".
The suffix "-ist" is added to the noun "vital" to create "vitalist", thus indicating someone who adheres to or supports vitalism, a philosophical and scientific doctrine. Vitalism asserts the existence of a "vital force" or "life force" separate from physical and chemical processes, responsible for the existence and functioning of living organisms. The term "vitalist" is used to describe individuals who advocate or espouse this concept.
Similar spelling words for VITALIST
- vitaliser,
- videlicet,
- vitalize,
- vitalism,
- vitals,
- vidales,
- vitalizing,
- vitiligo,
- vital sign,
- vitalizer,
- vitalise.
