monistista

Monistista is a term used in philosophy and speculative discourse to describe an adherent of monism, the view that all phenomena derive from a single substance or principle. The word blends monism with the agent suffix -ista, signaling a committed standpoint or school of thought. Because the term is informal and not standardized, its precise meaning varies by author and context.

In general, a monistista argues that reality consists of one ontological ground, which can take different forms. Some proponents endorse physicalist monism, insisting that matter is the sole substance and that mental states are ultimately physical states. Others favor idealist monism, asserting that consciousness or mind is the fundamental substrate. A third strand, neutral monism, treats both mind and matter as manifestations of a more basic underlying reality. Within speculative or fictional contexts, monististas may also stress epistemic unity, arguing that all knowledge rests on a single framework or method.

Monististas typically contrast with pluralist positions such as dualism, which posits two distinct kinds of substances, or ontological pluralism, which admits multiple basic substances. They engage with debates on the mind–body problem, causation, and the nature of experience, often addressing how scientific findings can be reconciled with a unified ontology.

Critics accuse monististas of oversimplification and of conflating diverse phenomena under one principle. Supporters respond that a coherent monist framework can illuminate connections ignored by compartmentalized theories.

This term appears mainly in philosophical essays, contemporary theory discussions, and occasionally in science fiction, where writers explore the implications of a single underlying reality.