Definition

1. Noun:
   • The state of being within or not going beyond a given domain: In philosophy and theology, "immanence" refers to the quality of being inherent, dwelling within, or operating within the confines of a system, entity, or the world itself. It is the opposite of "transcendence," which denotes existing above or independent of the material universe.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The philosopher discussed the immanence of divine presence in the natural world.
  • A key concept in his theory is the immanence of social laws within historical processes.
  • The artist sought to capture the immanence of emotion in her abstract paintings.

Advanced Usage

• "Principle of immanence": A philosophical doctrine asserting that the ultimate cause or reality is inherent within the world of phenomena.

  • The debate centered on the validity of the principle of immanence versus that of transcendence.

• "Economic immanence": Used in social sciences to describe laws or forces that are internal to a given economic system.

  • The study analyzed the economic immanence of crisis tendencies within capitalist structures.

Variants and Related Words

• Immanent (adj): Inherent; existing or operating within.
  • Many pantheistic religions believe in an immanent god.
• Immanency (n): A less common variant of "immanence," with identical meaning.
  • (Used interchangeably with "immanence").

Synonyms

• Inherence: The state of being inherent or permanently ingrained.
• Indwelling: Existing as an inner presence or principle.
• Immanency: (See Variants and Related Words).

Antonyms

• Transcendence: Existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level; surpassing the ordinary.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Immanent critique: A method of analysis that critiques a system using the system's own principles and standards.

  • He employed an immanent critique of the political ideology, exposing its internal contradictions.

• Immanent causality: A concept where the cause remains within the effect, as opposed to an external, transitive cause.

  • The theory proposed a model of immanent causality for biological development.

Noun

1. the state of being within or not going beyond a given domain