hypostatization

Hypostatization, also known as hypostatization or reification, is the philosophical and rhetorical process of treating abstract entities, concepts, or relations as if they were concrete, independently existing things. The term is often used to criticize the projection of mental constructs—such as properties, numbers, universals, or social abstractions—into real substances with causal power.

Etymology: from Greek hypostasis meaning "foundation, underlying substance" and the suffix -ization. In philosophy, hypostatization describes the mistaken assumption that abstractions attain independent existence, rather than being mere ways of organizing experience. It is closely related to, and sometimes used interchangeably with, reification, though some theorists distinguish the two by focusing on abstractions (hypostatization) versus social processes that treat relations as things (reification).

Applications: In analytic philosophy, critics argue that attributing real existence to universals (like "redness") leads to category mistakes. In existentialism and phenomenology, caution is advised against hypostatizing hypothetical constructs or essences. In social theory and political economy, criticisms target the personification or agency attributed to abstract structures such as "the market," "the state," or "society," which can obscure the roles of individuals and social practices.

See also: Reification; Abstract noun; Social construction of reality; Essentialism.