Objective - independent of individual apperception or feeling; cf. subjective. Ockham's Razor (or Occam's Razor) - a principle developed by William of Ockham (1285-1349) which holds that the simplest of two or more competing theories is preferable, and that entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem ("entities are not to be multiplied beyond necessity"). The principle is often referred to as the law of parsimony. Ontology - the study of being, of the ultimate nature of things. Ousia - a Greek term meaning essence, the essential nature of a thing. Panentheism - the view that God is both "in" all things and outside of all things at the same time; the idea that God is both immanent and transcendent. Panpsychism - the theory that all objects in the universe - "inanimate" as well as "animate" - have an inner being or psychological nature. Pantheism - the doctrine that God is inherent in all things, that every particular thing in the universe is a manifestation of God's essence. The doctrine was most influentially and cogently advanced by Spinoza. Peripatetic - a follower or disciple of Aristotle. The word comes from the Greek verb "to walk about"; while holding discussions with students, Aristotle would frequently walk around. Pluralism - the doctrine that the world is composed of many things, the source of contrary processes. Cf. monism. Positivism - a philosophical view which recognizes only those things that can be empirically verified, or known directly by observation. Pragmatism - the notion that truth is the practical application of an idea; a theory which emphasizes the instrumental nature of the intellect and which sees the consummation of truth in direct, successful action. The earliest pragmatist philosophers were Americans: C.S. Peirce and William James among them.
