Definition of presentism in English:
presentism
noun ˈprɛz(ə)ntɪz(ə)mˈprezenˌtizəm
mass nounUncritical adherence to present-day attitudes, especially the tendency to interpret past events in terms of modern values and concepts.
Example sentencesExamples
- First, the individual must have the capacity to live in the moment or a sense of presentism; gratification must be immediate and functionally specific because there is no tomorrow in the world of fashion or desire.
- The presentism of many essayists also creates conflicting interpretations.
- There are two camps opposed to presentism, the camp that says the past and present are real, and the camp that says the past, present, and future are real.
- For example, A. N. Prior, in seeking to mount a defense of presentism - the doctrine that there are no future or past objects - encountered the problem of individuals that no longer exist.
- This solid study challenges such self satisfied presentism.
- While such presentism gives his work immediacy, it also risks limiting historical issues to current concerns.
Derivatives
adjective
It is not, however, over-ambition that causes Terry to come unstuck but rather her openly presentist view of historical method which she proudly displays in her introduction.
Example sentencesExamples
- And all these presentist criteria for knowledge have been used.
- Moreover, while frequent use of presentist terminology may aid in understanding, it risks misconstruing the nineteenth century.
- The enticing title is a dead giveaway about the presentist orientation.
- From a historian's perspective, aspects of Paton's presentist writing style are exasperating.