mittemateriaalne

Mittemateriaalne is an Estonian adjective meaning non-material or immaterial. It is formed from the negation prefix mitte- and the adjective materiaalne, and it is used to describe entities, properties, or realities that do not consist of matter or cannot be reduced to physical substances.

In philosophy, mittemateriaalne commonly appears in debates about the nature of mind, consciousness, ideas, numbers, or values. It contrasts with material reality and is central to discussions of dualism, idealism, and Platonism. Proponents of physicalism argue that all phenomena ultimately have physical explanations, challenging any robust claim of mittemateriaalne reality.

In everyday and scholarly Estonian, mittemateriaalne describes intangible concepts or non-physical properties. Examples include thoughts, experiences, rights, or values, as well as abstract objects such as mathematical entities.

Etymology: the word combines mitte- 'not' and materiaalne 'material,' aligning with similar terms in other languages that distinguish a non-material realm from a material one.

See also: materialism, immaterialism, dualism, abstract object, intangible asset.