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biologism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

C2
UK/baɪˈɒlədʒɪz(ə)m/US/baɪˈɑːlədʒɪzəm/

Academic, Critical, Formal

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Quick answer

What does “biologism” mean?

The interpretation of human behavior or society exclusively through biological principles.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The interpretation of human behavior or society exclusively through biological principles.

A reductive explanation that overemphasizes biological factors, often at the expense of social, cultural, or psychological ones.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning. Slightly more frequent in British academic humanities discourse.

Connotations

Pejorative in both dialects; implies oversimplification or pseudoscientific reasoning.

Frequency

Very low frequency; specialist term in philosophy, sociology, and critical theory.

Grammar

How to Use “biologism” in a Sentence

The [theory/explanation] is criticized for its [adjective] biologism.[Author] warns against the [noun] of biologism.Their argument lapses into biologism by [gerund phrase].

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
crude biologismgenetic biologismsociobiological biologismaccused of biologism
medium
reject biologismdanger of biologismfall into biologismargument verges on biologism
weak
simple biologismforms of biologismtheory's biologismagainst biologism

Usage

Meaning in Context

Academic

Used in critiques within sociology, gender studies, philosophy of science, and political theory.

Everyday

Virtually never used.

Technical

A precise label for a methodological error in scientific and social scientific explanations.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “biologism”

Strong

biological essentialism

Neutral

biological determinismbiological reductionism

Weak

naturalism (in specific contexts)physicalism

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “biologism”

social constructivismcultural determinismenvironmentalism (in social science)

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “biologism”

  • Using it to mean 'a focus on biology' (neutral).
  • Confusing it with 'biological' as a general adjective.
  • Misspelling as 'biologicism'.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No. 'Biology' is the scientific study of life. 'Biologism' is a critical term for the improper or excessive application of biological concepts to non-biological domains.

Extremely rarely. It is almost always used to point out a flaw in reasoning or an oversimplification.

Biologism is a specific *type* of reductionism. Reductionism is the general practice of explaining complex phenomena by simpler ones. Biologism is reductionism that explains social, psychological, or cultural phenomena solely by biological causes.

Primarily academics and critics in the humanities and social sciences (e.g., sociologists, philosophers, gender studies scholars) when analysing the assumptions behind an argument or theory.

The interpretation of human behavior or society exclusively through biological principles.

Biologism is usually academic, critical, formal in register.

Biologism: in British English it is pronounced /baɪˈɒlədʒɪz(ə)m/, and in American English it is pronounced /baɪˈɑːlədʒɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'BIOLOGY-ISM' – turning the complex study of life into an '-ism', a single, rigid doctrine.

Conceptual Metaphor

EXPLANATION IS A LENS (a distorting lens that only shows biological colors).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The historian cautioned that explaining historical conquests through innate aggression was a form of simplistic .
Multiple Choice

In which context is the term 'biologism' most accurately used?