1. the practice of interpreting or judging past events by present-day values and standards
Usage: academic; historical criticism
2. the philosophical view that only the present moment exists or is real
Usage: philosophy; metaphysics

Examples

• The historian warned against presentism when analyzing medieval social structures.
• Critics accused the documentary of presentism for applying modern moral standards to ancient practices.
• Her essay on slavery avoided presentism by considering the historical context of the era.
• The philosophy professor explained presentism as the belief that past and future events are not real.
• Presentism in historical research can lead to unfair judgments of past societies.
• The debate between presentism and eternalism continues in contemporary philosophy of time.