mentalism

[ men-tl-iz-uhm ]

noun
  1. the doctrine that objects of knowledge have no existence except in the mind of the perceiver.

  2. the doctrine that human conduct reflects the operation of a nonmaterial principle.

  1. any psychological theory that accepts as a proper subject of study the mental basis for human behavior.

Origin of mentalism

1
First recorded in 1870–75; mental1 + -ism

Other words from mentalism

  • men·tal·is·tic, adjective
  • men·tal·is·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for mentalism

mentalism

/ (ˈmɛntəˌlɪzəm) /


noun
  1. philosophy the doctrine that mind is the fundamental reality and that objects of knowledge exist only as aspects of the subject's consciousness: Compare physicalism, idealism (def. 3) See also monism (def. 1), materialism (def. 2)

Derived forms of mentalism

  • mentalist, noun
  • mentalistic, adjective
  • mentalistically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012