Averroism

or Av·er·rho·ism

[ av-uh-roh-iz-uhm, uh-ver-oh- ]

noun

1. the philosophy of Averroës, largely based on Aristotelianism and asserting the unity of an active intellect common to all human beings while denying personal immortality.

Averroism

/ əˈvɛrəʊ-; ˌævəˈrəʊɪzəm /

noun

1. the teachings of Averroës

Derived Forms

• ˌAverroˈistic, adjective
• ˌAverˈroist, noun

Other Words From

• Aver·roist Aver·rhoist noun
• Aver·ro·istic Aver·rho·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Averroism¹

First recorded in 1745–55; Averro(ës) ( def ) + -ism

Example Sentences

Averroism, born of this enthusiasm, may be justly considered not only the precursor of Reform, but also the father of modern Rationalism.

From Project Gutenberg

Padua adopted Averroism, in the fourteenth century, because of its medical contents; in the two following centuries this system was emptied of heart and life, but pattered and mumbled by pretentious pedants in North-east Italy it prevailed till the seventeenth, when after a reign of three centuries it was succeeded by the Cartesian.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus we may regard Michael as the founder of Paduan Averroism.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet, in spite of Petrarch’s gibes, Averroism in its spring had nursed Padua with the milk of natural science.

From Project Gutenberg

In his followers these doctrines become grosser and grosser, and, fused with other Arabian doctrine, prepared for and afterwards strengthened the Averroism of Padua, in the xv-xvith century, in which system it was taught that the universal soul, dipping for the time into the individual man, is at death resumed into the universal soul.

From Project Gutenberg