Social Research Glossary A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Home
Citation reference: Harvey, L., 2012-24, Social Research Glossary, Quality Research International, http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/socialresearch/
This is a dynamic glossary and the author would welcome any e-mail suggestions for additions or amendments.
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Animism
Animism is the view that everything in the universe has some kind of psychological being somewhat similar to humans (and other animals).
Thus an object is not just an aggregate of molecules (on the move) but has some kind of ‘awareness’ of other objects and forces acting on it.
Animism has been defined as a religion, which is based on the belief that spirits and ghosts inhabit sacred objects such as trees and rocks.
The term animism is usually reserved for the subjects of anthropological enquiry (once referred to as ‘primitive peoples’) who hold such views. Philosophers with such views are usually described as panpsychists.
A type of religion that believes that events in the world are often caused by the activities of spirits.
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