immanent

Immanent is an adjective describing something inherent, existing, or acting within a particular system or domain, rather than coming from outside. The term comes from Latin immanens, from in- "within" and manere "to remain." The noun immanence refers to this quality or state.

In philosophy and theology, immanence denotes the presence, operation, or grounding of a principle within the world itself. It is often contrasted with transcendence, which describes what lies beyond or outside ordinary experience. Many traditions articulate both: a divine immanence that is felt or manifested in creation, and a divine transcendence that remains wholly other. Some systems reconcile the two, as in panentheism, where God is immanently present in the world yet extends beyond it.

In metaphysics, immanence has been used to describe how ultimate reality is present within nature. Spinoza’s God or substance is immanent in the world, not separate from it. In German philosophy, immanence features prominently in Hegelian and post-Kantian thought as the idea that reason or truth unfolds within the development of reality itself. In critical theory, immanent critique analyzes social norms by testing them against their own ideals and internal standards, rather than applying external criteria.

In broader discussions, immanence touches on topics such as providence, the immanent life of the divine, the self-sufficiency of natural processes, and the limits of human knowledge as conditioned by internal faculties.