Essentialists

Essentialists are adherents of essentialism, a view that some things have essences—intrinsic, defining properties that determine the identity and behavior of things in that category. In metaphysics, essentialism posits that objects or kinds possess necessary features that they would lose if they changed those features. Historically, essentialism has roots in Aristotle’s theory that substances have essential natures and in Platonic idealism. Medieval and early modern philosophers debated how essences relate to real beings and classifications. In the sciences, essentialism has been associated with the idea of natural kinds: that certain categories (for example, chemical elements, species) are defined by immutable essences. Contemporary discussions distinguish between ontological essentialism (essences truly exist) and epistemic or pragmatic forms.

In social and human sciences, essentialism is often used to describe the belief that social groups—such as races, ethnicities, genders, or nationalities—have fixed, inherent traits. Such beliefs can influence scientific claims, policy, and everyday judgments, sometimes leading to stereotypes or discrimination. Critics argue that social reality is more fluid and constructed by cultural, historical, and contextual factors, and they advocate anti-essentialist or constructivist approaches. In psychology and cognitive science, essentialist reasoning refers to the tendency to view categories as having hidden, essential properties, a bias linked to stereotype formation.

An education-related variant, educational essentialism, is a separate tradition that emphasizes core knowledge and basic skills as foundations of schooling. Overall, essentialists hold that some categories or entities are defined by stable essences, but substantial debate continues regarding the existence, nature, and social consequences of these essences.