idealist

An idealist is a person who emphasizes ideals and moral goals and aspires toward them, often valuing principles such as justice, equality, or human rights. The term is commonly used to describe someone who prioritizes vision over immediate practical constraints, sometimes leading to actions aimed at substantial social or personal reform.

In everyday language, idealists are contrasted with realists or pragmatists, who emphasize practical considerations and what can be achieved within current constraints. While idealists can inspire progress, critics argue they may overlook feasibility, trade-offs, or unintended consequences. The label can be applied both positively (principled, hopeful) and pejoratively (unrealistic, naïve).

In philosophy, idealism is a family of theories proposing that reality is connected to the mind or ideas. Philosophical idealists include proponents of that view such as Berkeley, Kant's transcendental idealism, and Hegel's absolute idealism, though not all who describe themselves as idealists adhere to a single system. The term "idealist" in philosophy can refer to those who prioritize mental or spiritual aspects of reality over materialist explanations.

In social and political discourse, idealists are often associated with reform movements and utopian thought. They advocate policies or social arrangements seen as morally desirable, sometimes drawing upon moral or religious convictions. Historical movements include humanitarian reformers and utopian socialists who imagined improved societies based on shared ideals.

The word remains flexible in usage, employed to describe both thinkers who analyze the nature of reality and activists who pursue aspirational goals.