functionalism
A doctrine, in several fields, that the function of something should be reflected in its design and the materials used in its construction.
Noun
- A doctrine, in several fields, that the function of something should be reflected in its design and the materials used in its construction.
- The definition of mental states in terms of their causes and effects.
- The idea that social and cultural cohesion are a function of the interdependence and interactions of the institutions of a society.
- The theory that the Holocaust was the result of a gradual escalation of decisions and procedures at the operational level (approved but not necessarily preconceived by Hitler).
Coordinate Terms: intentionalism
- A general school of thought that considers psychological phenomena in terms of their role in adaptation to the person's environment.
- Synonym of functional linguistics.
Synonyms: functional linguistics
Origin
Etymology tree Old French fonction Middle French functionbor. English function Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English functional Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English functionalism From functional + -ism.