Formalismi

Formalismi is a term used across disciplines to describe theoretical approaches that place form, structure, and formal properties of a system at the center of analysis, often treating content, meaning, or context as secondary or derived from form. The exact meaning varies by field, but the common thread is a focus on rules, techniques, and the visible or internal organization of a work or system.

In aesthetics and literary theory, formalism emphasizes perceptible elements such as composition, style, rhythm, syntax, and the arrangement of parts. The aim is to explain the work's effects by its formal properties rather than by author intention, historical background, or external references. Early 20th-century formalist movements include the Russian Formalists (for example Viktor Shklovsky and Yuri Tynjanov) and, in Western criticism, figures associated with formalist doctrines and the idea of “significant form” proposed by Clive Bell and Roger Fry.

In the philosophy of mathematics and logic, formalism, notably associated with David Hilbert, views mathematics as a manipulation of symbols within formal languages according to fixed rules. Truth and mathematical utility arise from derivations within the system rather than from intrinsic interpretation of mathematical objects. Gödel’s incompleteness results later challenged strict formalist programs by showing limits to formal systems.

In legal theory, formalism (or formalist jurisprudence) argues that judicial decisions should follow statutes and precedents through neutral application of rules, with minimal reference to social or moral considerations. This stance has faced criticism from legal realism and other approaches that stress context, interpretive methods, and policy consequences.

Critics contend that strict formalism can overlook meaning, history, and real-world impact, underscoring ongoing debates about the balance between form and content across disciplines.