ALL meanings of naturalism
nat·u·ral·ism
N n - noun naturalism (in art and literature) a style and theory of representation based on the accurate depiction of detail. 1
- noun naturalism natural appearance 1
- noun naturalism art: realism 1
- noun naturalism Literature. a manner or technique of treating subject matter that presents, through volume of detail, a deterministic view of human life and actions. a deterministic theory of writing in which it is held that a writer should adopt an objective view toward the material written about, be free of preconceived ideas as to form and content, and represent with clinical accuracy and frankness the details of life. Compare realism (def 4b). a representation of natural appearances or natural patterns of speech, manner, etc., in a work of fiction. the depiction of the physical environment, especially landscape or the rural environment. 1
- noun naturalism (in a work of art) treatment of forms, colors, space, etc., as they appear or might appear in nature. Compare idealism (def 4), realism (def 3a). 1
- noun naturalism action arising from or based on natural instincts and desires alone. 1
- noun naturalism Philosophy. the view of the world that takes account only of natural elements and forces, excluding the supernatural or spiritual. the belief that all phenomena are covered by laws of science and that all teleological explanations are therefore without value. 1
- noun naturalism Theology. the doctrine that all religious truth is derived from a study of natural processes and not from revelation. the doctrine that natural religion is sufficient for salvation. 1
- noun naturalism adherence or attachment to what is natural. 1
- uncountable noun naturalism Naturalism is a theory in art and literature which states that people and things should be shown in a realistic way. 0
- noun naturalism a movement, esp in art and literature, advocating detailed realistic and factual description, esp that in 19th-century France in the writings of Zola, Flaubert, etc 0
- noun naturalism the characteristics or effects of this movement 0
- noun naturalism a school of painting or sculpture characterized by the faithful imitation of appearances for their own sake 0
- noun naturalism the belief that all religious truth is based not on revelation but rather on the study of natural causes and processes 0
- noun naturalism a scientific account of the world in terms of causes and natural forces that rejects all spiritual, supernatural, or teleological explanations 0
- noun naturalism the meta-ethical thesis that moral properties are reducible to natural ones, or that ethical judgments are derivable from nonethical ones 0
- noun naturalism action or thought caused by natural desires and instincts 0
- noun naturalism devotion to that which is natural 0
- noun naturalism action or thought based on natural desires or instincts 0
- noun naturalism faithful adherence to nature; realism; specif., the principles and methods of a group of 19th-cent. writers, including Émile Zola, Gustave Flaubert, and Guy de Maupassant, who believed that the writer or artist should apply scientific objectivity and precision in observing and depicting life, without idealizing, imposing value judgments, or avoiding what may be regarded as sordid or repulsive 0
- noun naturalism the quality resulting from the use of such realism 0
- noun naturalism the theory that distinctions between good and bad can be reduced to nonnormative or factual terms and statements, according to psychology, biology, etc. 0
- noun naturalism the belief that the natural world, as explained by scientific laws, is all that exists and that there is no supernatural or spiritual creation, control, or significance 0
- noun naturalism the doctrine that religion does not depend on supernatural experience, divine revelation, etc., and that all religious truth may be derived from the natural world 0