還元主義者
解説 Definition
複雑な現象をより単純な要素に分解して理解しようとする人。
A reductionist is a person who explains something complex by reducing it to simpler parts or basic causes. This word is often used in science, philosophy, and criticism. It can be neutral, but it sometimes suggests that the explanation is too simple.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
reduce（減らす・単純にする）と、人を表す -ist を手がかりにしましょう。この名詞用法の reductionist は、複雑な全体を基本的な要素へ分ければ説明できると考える「還元主義者」です。顕微鏡で全体を細かな部分へ分けて調べる人を思い浮かべ、a reductionist や call someone a reductionist の形で覚えると、形容詞用法との混同を避けられます。
Look at reduce in the middle: a reductionist wants to reduce something complex into smaller parts. The ending -ist means a person with a certain view, like artist or scientist. It is easier to remember if you contrast it with holistic.
例文
The reductionist tried to explain the ecosystem solely in terms of its individual organisms.
その還元主義者は、生態系を個々の生物だけによって説明しようとした。
She is a reductionist who believes that mental processes can be explained by brain activity.
彼女は、精神過程を脳の活動によって説明できると考える還元主義者だ。
As a reductionist, he believed every phenomenon could be explained by basic physics.
還元主義者として、彼はあらゆる現象は基礎物理学で説明できると信じていた。
reductionist の類義語・関連語
対義語
派生語
reductionist の語源・成り立ち Etymology
reductionist は reduction + -ist で、reduction はラテン語 reducere「連れ戻す」に由来し、re- + ducere「導く」に分けられます。produce や conduct と同根で、「複雑なものを基本へ戻して説明する立場」と見ると意味がつかめます。
Reductionist comes from reduction plus the suffix -ist, meaning a person linked to that way of thinking. Reduction comes from Latin reducere, meaning "to lead back," from re- "back" and ducere "to lead." The idea developed into explaining something complex by bringing it back to simpler parts. English words like conduct and produce share the same Latin root ducere.
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