idealism
/aɪˈdiːəlɪzəm/ (bre, ipa) · /aɪˈdiːəlɪzəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ī-ˈdē-(ə-)ˌliz-əm ˈī-(ˌ)dē-/ (ame, mw)
idealism — 名詞
1. the attitude of a person who keeps working towards what they believe is right an
理想主義
堅信理想能實現的態度
the attitude of a person who keeps working towards what they believe is right and good, even when success seems very difficult or unlikely
Yuki's idealism led her to work long hours for a fair-trade charity that barely paid her.
Yuki 的理想主義驅使她為一家收入微薄但經營公平貿易的慈善機構長時間工作。
idealism + led + to-infinitive purpose
After twenty years in politics, Raj still spoke with the same idealism he had as a student activist.
從政二十年後，Raj 說起話來仍帶著學生時代那股理想主義的熱情。
Architect Thiago showed his idealism by designing energy-saving buildings even when clients asked for cheaper options.
建築師 Thiago 的理想主義表現在他寧可設計節能建築，也不願接受客戶提出的更便宜方案。
Critics dismissed the proposal as driven by youthful idealism rather than practical business sense.
批評者認為這個提案是出於年輕人的理想主義，而非務實的商業判斷。
Priya's idealism made her believe that quality education could solve even the deepest social problems.
Priya 的理想主義使她相信優質教育可以解決最根深蒂固的社會問題。
- optimism
broader term; refers to expecting good outcomes, not necessarily acting on principles
- utopianism
focuses on imagining a perfect society; often implies an unrealistic or impractical blueprint
- perfectionism
demands flawlessness in details, whereas idealism targets large moral or social goals
用法筆記
The word can carry mild criticism (suggesting naivety) or admiration (suggesting integrity), depending on context. Frequently modified by youthful, political, or romantic.
常見錯誤
2. a philosophical position that says the world we experience is made up of ideas i
唯心論
主張萬物皆由心念構成的哲學
a philosophical position that says the world we experience is made up of ideas in our minds, and that there is no way to prove that anything exists independently of our thoughts or perception
Chidi found it hard to accept philosophical idealism, because the chair he sat on felt undeniably real.
Chidi 覺得唯心論很難接受，因為他坐的椅子感覺無比真實。
contrast: idealism vs. common sense
Elena wrote her thesis comparing Kant's transcendental idealism with modern scientific realism.
Elena 的論文比較了康德的先驗唯心論與現代科學實在論。
collocation: transcendental idealism
In Berkeley's version of idealism, nothing exists unless a mind perceives it — even a tree falling in the forest.
在柏克萊版本的唯心論中，沒有心靈感知就沒有事物存在——連森林中的樹倒下也不例外。
The professor explained that idealism does not deny the world we see; it argues that what we see is shaped by our minds.
教授解釋說，唯心論並非否認我們所見的世界，而是主張所見的一切都是心靈塑造出來的。
Amina found the arguments for idealism more convincing after reading how our brains actively construct what we call reality.
Amina 在了解大腦如何建構我們所謂的「現實」之後，覺得唯心論的論證更有說服力了。
- Platonism
a specific form of idealism holding that ideal Forms exist beyond the physical world
- rationalism
related but distinct; emphasizes reason as the source of knowledge
- materialism
the belief that only physical matter is real
- empiricism
the view that all knowledge comes from sensory experience of the physical world
用法筆記
Often paired with a qualifying prefix that names a specific school: transcendental idealism (Kant), absolute idealism (Hegel), subjective idealism (Berkeley). The opposite view is materialism or realism.