noun
- philosophers who believe that abstract concepts, general terms, or universals have no independent existence but are merely names or labels
Usage: philosophy
Examples
- Medieval nominalists argued that universals like ‘redness’ don’t exist independently of particular red objects.
- The nominalists rejected the idea that abstract concepts have real existence beyond human language.
- William of Ockham was one of the most famous nominalists of the 14th century.
- Modern nominalists continue to debate whether mathematical objects truly exist.
- The dispute between nominalists and realists has persisted for centuries in philosophy.
- Some nominalists view scientific laws as useful descriptions rather than discoveries of universal truths.