Allumfassbarkeit

Allumfassbarkeit is a German philosophical term describing the property or capacity of a concept, framework, or system to encompass all relevant cases within a given domain. In this sense, it denotes universality or total inclusion: the idea that a definition, theory, or ontology can account for every instance that falls under its scope.

The term is formed from alle (all) and umfassen (to encompass) with the suffix -barkeit (ability or possibility). It is not uniformly used across all German philosophy, but appears in discussions about the scope and limits of conceptual schemes, definitions, and theoretical unification. Proponents may treat high allumfassbarkeit as an ideal for rigorous universal theories, while critics caution that no finite framework can truly capture all possible cases.

In practice, allumfassbarkeit is often contrasted with partiality or exclusion, highlighting questions about whether a concept can be extended without introducing inconsistencies or blind spots. It is relevant to debates in metaphysics about universal concepts, in epistemology about the limits of knowledge, and in philosophy of science about the scope of theoretical unification. In theological or phenomenological contexts, the term can be used to reflect notions of total presence or inclusivity, such as divine omnipresence or the all-encompassing character of a worldview.

See also: universality, totality, generality, ontology.