Materialist theory posits that physical matter is the primary substance of reality, emphasizing that all phenomena, including consciousness, thoughts, and social structures, arise from material conditions and interactions. It often contrasts with idealism, which prioritizes ideas and consciousness as the foundation of existence. In philosophy, it underpins various schools of thought, including Marxism, which links material conditions to social change and human behavior. Essentially, materialism asserts that understanding the material world is key to understanding all aspects of life.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels are two of the most famous materialist philosophers known for their contributions to the theory of dialectical materialism.
Materialist theory of the mind posits that mental states and processes can be fully explained by the physical processes of the brain. In other words, consciousness and cognition are believed to be a result of neural activity and the interactions between neurons. This perspective contrasts with dualism, which sees the mind and body as distinct entities.
Karl marx
The main difference between materialist and idealist approaches in anthropology lies in their focus. Materialist approaches emphasize the role of economic and material factors in shaping societies, while idealist approaches prioritize the influence of ideas, beliefs, and culture on human behavior and social structures.
This was established under a materialist conception of history.
Peter Gidal has written: 'Materialist film'
Denis Diderot was a French philosopher who was a materialist and believed that thoughts and ideas were created by the motion and changes in matter. He was a prominent figure during the Enlightenment period and was one of the key contributors to the Encyclopédie, a comprehensive compendium of knowledge.
The three level model of culture is infrastructure, structure, and superstructure.
materialist; enlightened
Paul R Abramson has written: 'Generational replacement and the future of post-materialist values'
the role of elite power control through providing food to the populace
They become better people who value the important things more that money can't buy.