intellectualism
Devotion to thought
Intellectualism is the pursuit or valuation of intellectual activity over emotional, practical, or spiritual concerns.
The term can be neutral—describing an emphasis on reason and analysis—or slightly dismissive, suggesting excessive abstraction divorced from real-world matters: His intellectualism made him seem cold and out of touch.
In philosophy, intellectualism holds that knowledge and reason are primary sources of truth.
Educational funding or erudition
- universityHigher education institution
- professorSenior university teacher
- academiaHigher education community
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
thesis · dissertation · seminar · lecture · journal · publication · tenure · faculty
Era prioritizing reason over dogma
- humanismPhilosophy prioritizing earthly reason
- secularismSeparation of faith, state
- progressivismPhilosophy advocating societal reform
- liberalismPhilosophy valuing reform, tolerance
freethought · skepticism · reform · modernity · salon · Voltaire · encyclopedists · coffeehouse
Theory of knowledge
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
phenomenology · existentialism · rationalism · empiricism · pragmatism · scholasticism · logic · syllogism
Drawing logical conclusions
- analysisMethodical study of parts
- rationalitySound judgment quality
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- abstractionDistilling to essential qualities
conceptualization · comprehension · perception · cognition · thought · discernment · acumen · insight
Intellectually or artistically sophisticated
- pretensionUnwarranted claim to merit
- snobberyPretentious social superiority
- ivory-towerSheltered intellectual enclave
- condescensionDemeaning air of superiority
exclusivity · pedantry · obscurantism · jargon · gatekeeping · elitist · rarefied · inaccessible
scholarship
Educational funding or erudition
- universityHigher education institution
- professorSenior university teacher
- academiaHigher education community
research · thesis · dissertation · seminar · lecture · journal · publication · tenure · faculty · monograph
Enlightenment
Era prioritizing reason over dogma
- humanismPhilosophy prioritizing earthly reason
- secularismSeparation of faith, state
- progressivismPhilosophy advocating societal reform
liberalism · freethought · skepticism · reform · modernity · salon · Voltaire · encyclopedists · coffeehouse · literati
epistemology
Theory of knowledge
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
dialectic · phenomenology · existentialism · rationalism · empiricism · pragmatism · scholasticism · logic · syllogism · aesthetics
reasoning
Drawing logical conclusions
- analysisMethodical study of parts
- rationalitySound judgment quality
- logicScience of valid reasoning
abstraction · conceptualization · comprehension · perception · cognition · thought · discernment · acumen · insight · understanding
highbrow
Intellectually or artistically sophisticated
- pretensionUnwarranted claim to merit
- snobberyPretentious social superiority
- ivory-towerSheltered intellectual enclave
condescension · exclusivity · pedantry · obscurantism · jargon · gatekeeping · elitist · rarefied · inaccessible · detachment
- Metaphysical PoetryJohn Donne, conceit, conceits, metaphysical poetry, extended metaphor
- academiaprofessors, universities, graduation cap, biology department, professor
- mindsetsgrowth mindset, fixed mindset, mindset, abundance mindset, scarcity mindset
- Jewish heritageTorah scrolls, synagogues, Ashkenazi, rabbis, Sephardic
- FrancophoneFrance, Paris, French language, French grammar, Canadian French
- French chicchic, elegance, sophistication, effortless, refinement
intellectualismanti-intellectualism
Hostility toward educated thought
philistinism · obscurantism · thoughtlessness · incuriosity · ignorance
intellectualismemotionalism
Excessive appeal to feelings
irrationalism · intuitionism · mysticism · sensualism · sentimentalism
intellectualismanti-intellectualism
Hostility toward educated thought
populism · pragmatism · practicality · utilitarianism · common sense
intellectualize, intellectuality, intellectualized, intellectualizing, intellectualizes, anti-intellectualism, intellectualization