manichean

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Definition

  1. Adjective:

    • Relating to Manichaeism: Pertaining to the dualistic religious system founded by the prophet Mani, which posits a fundamental conflict between the spiritual world of light and the material world of darkness.
    • Dualistic: Characterized by a stark, absolute division into opposing principles, such as good versus evil or light versus dark, often implying a simplistic or uncompromising view.

  2. Noun:

    • An adherent of Manichaeism: A follower of the ancient religion of Manichaeism.
    • A person with a dualistic worldview: Someone who perceives the world in terms of absolute, opposing forces, often in a moral context.
Usage Examples

  • Adjective:

    • The philosopher criticized the manichean division of human nature into purely good or purely evil.
    • Her political rhetoric was starkly manichean, framing every issue as a battle between absolute right and absolute wrong.

  • Noun:

    • As a devout Manichean, he believed his soul was a fragment of light trapped in the darkness of the material body.
    • The debate was dominated by manicheans who refused to see any middle ground.
Advanced Usage

  • "manichean worldview/dualism": A perspective that sees reality as a cosmic struggle between two independent, opposing forces.

    • The film's plot is built on a classic manichean dualism, with the hero representing pure good and the villain pure evil.

  • Used critically: Often used in modern discourse to criticize an overly simplistic, black-and-white approach to complex issues.

    • We must avoid a manichean analysis of the conflict, which ignores the nuanced historical and social factors.
Variants and Related Words

  • Manichaeism (n): The ancient Gnostic religion founded by Mani, teaching a dualistic cosmology.

    • Manichaeism spread widely across the ancient world from Persia to China.

  • Manichaean (adj/n): An alternative spelling of "Manichean."

  • Dualistic (adj): The general quality of involving two opposed or contrasting principles.
Synonyms
  • Adjective: Dualistic, black-and-white, dichotomous, polarized.
  • Noun: Dualist.
Related Phrases and Idioms
  • "a Manichean struggle": A conflict perceived as a fundamental battle between absolute good and absolute evil.
    • The Cold War was often portrayed in the media as a Manichean struggle between democracy and communism.
Adjective
  1. of or relating to Manichaeism
Noun
  1. an adherent of Manichaeism

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