Hypostatisation (Noun)
Meaning
Regarding something abstract as a material thing.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The philosopher was accused of hypostatisation for treating concepts like justice and morality as if they were physical entities with tangible existence.
- In ancient mythologies, the process of hypostatisation often resulted in the creation of deities that personified abstract ideas like love, war, and fate.
- Critics argued that the economist's model relied on an unwarranted hypostatisation of the market, treating it as a living entity that could adapt and respond to stimuli.
- By reifying the concept of nature as a distinct entity, the author's argument fell prey to the trap of hypostatisation, obscuring the complex relationships between human activities and the environment.
- In attempting to quantify happiness, the researchers were guilty of hypostatisation, treating this elusive and multifaceted concept as if it were a measurable commodity.