manichee

Thân thiện

A manichee views the world as a struggle between light and darkness.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • An adherent of Manichaeism: A follower of the ancient religious system founded by the prophet Mani, which taught a dualistic cosmology of a perpetual struggle between a good, spiritual world of light and an evil, material world of darkness.

2. Adjective:

   • Of or relating to Manichaeism: Describing anything pertaining to the doctrines, beliefs, or characteristics of the Manichaean religion.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The Roman Empire viewed the Manichee as a dangerous heretic.
  • A small community of Manichees persisted in Central Asia for centuries.

• Adjective:

  • The manuscript contained Manichee texts.
  • His worldview was criticized for being overly Manichee, dividing everything into absolute good and evil.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in modern secular contexts to describe a rigidly dualistic perspective that sees the world in simplistic terms of good versus evil, light versus dark, often without acknowledging complexity or nuance.
  • The politician's rhetoric was criticized for its Manichee simplicity.

Variants and Related Words

• Manichaean (adj/n): The more common modern spelling and form, synonymous with .
• Manichaeism (n): The name of the religion itself.
• Manichean (adj/n): Another common variant spelling.

Synonyms

• Noun: Dualist, adherent of Manichaeism.
• Adjective: Dualistic, black-and-white (figurative).

Notes on Meaning

• Historically, the term refers specifically to the followers of the religion founded by Mani in the 3rd century AD.
• In contemporary academic and general use, the adjectival form is frequently employed metaphorically to critique any philosophy, narrative, or ideology perceived as presenting an overly simplistic moral dichotomy.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. of or relating to Manichaeism

Noun

1. an adherent of Manichaeism

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Manichaean
• Manichean
• Manichee