formism

Formism is a philosophical concept that explores the nature of forms or universals. It posits that abstract entities, known as forms, exist independently of particular physical objects and are the true essence of those objects. These forms are considered perfect, eternal, and unchanging, serving as blueprints or archetypes for the transient, imperfect instances we encounter in the physical world. For example, a formist might argue that the form of "chair" exists in an abstract realm, and all physical chairs are merely imperfect copies or participants in this ideal form.

The concept has roots in ancient Greek philosophy, most notably in Plato's Theory of Forms. Plato believed that the sensible world is a shadow of a more real world of Forms, accessible through reason and intellect rather than sensory experience. Later philosophers have engaged with and modified these ideas. Aristotle, for instance, while acknowledging the importance of form, argued that forms are immanent within particular objects, rather than existing in a separate, transcendent realm.

Formism can be contrasted with nominalism, which denies the existence of abstract universals, and conceptualism, which holds that universals exist only as concepts in the mind. Different interpretations of formism exist, varying in their metaphysical commitments regarding the nature and existence of these forms. It continues to be a topic of discussion in metaphysics and epistemology, particularly in debates about the existence and nature of abstract objects.