Dualism is the state of having two main parts or aspects, or the belief that something has two main parts or aspects.
[formal]
He ignores the traditional Christian dualism between body and soul.
...the Gnostic dualism of good and evil struggling for supremacy.
dualism in British English
(ˈdjuːəˌlɪzəm)
noun
1.
the state of being twofold or double
2. philosophy
the doctrine, as opposed to idealism and materialism, that reality consists of two basic types of substance usually taken to be mind and matter or two basic types of entity, mental and physical
Compare monism
3.
a.
the theory that the universe has been ruled from its origins by two conflicting powers, one good and one evil, both existing as equally ultimate first causes
b.
the theory that there are two personalities, one human and one divine, in Christ
Derived forms
dualist (ˈdualist)
noun
dualistic (ˌdualˈistic)
adjective
dualistically (ˌdualˈistically)
adverb
dualism in American English
(ˈduːəˌlɪzəm, ˈdjuː-)
noun
1.
the state of being dual or consisting of two parts; division into two
2. Philosophy
a.
the view that there are just two mutually irreducible substances
Compare monism, pluralism
b.
the view that substances are either material or mental
3. Theology
a.
the doctrine that there are two independent divine beings or eternal principles, one good and the other evil
b.
the belief that a human being embodies two parts, as body and soul
Derived forms
dualist
noun or adjective
Word origin
[1785–95; dual + -ism]
Examples of 'dualism' in a sentence
dualism
The dualism had struck him the first time he'd heard it, and he'd never forgotten it.