Materialisierung

Materialisierung is a German term meaning the process of turning something immaterial or abstract into material form. In everyday language it denotes making a concept, plan, or idea tangible or usable, and can refer to both physical production and the implementation of an abstract model in a concrete system or artifact.

In philosophy, theology and related discourse, materialisierung can describe phenomena where non-material entities, energies or essences are claimed to take physical form. Examples include reports of apparitions, miracles, or séances. Such uses are debated and typically treated with skepticism in scientific contexts, where extraordinary claims require verifiable evidence.

In information technology and data management, materialisierung describes the transition from abstract representations to concrete instances. For example, evaluating a lazy computation, instantiating an object in memory, or rendering a user interface materializes a previously implicit result. In databases, a materialized view (materialisierte Sicht) is a precomputed, stored result of a query that can be refreshed, allowing faster access at the cost of storage and maintenance effort. The term is also used to contrast lazy versus eager computation and to denote the construction of physical or digital artefacts from digital designs.

In broader usage, materialisierung often appears as a metaphor for the execution phase of a project: turning ideas and plans into tangible products, processes, or experiences. In science fiction and art, it is a common device describing objects or beings appearing in the real world.