Nominalism

Man's conception of reality has changed over the course of history, but no change has made more of an impact than the change that occurred as the result of nominalism.

Nominalism came about as a direct result of one man, William of Occam. It was William that actually proposed this doctrine of nominalism; we know nothing of the collaborative help he received in formulating this doctrine as its epistemological moorings reference only him, but what we do know is disturbing enough. Nominalism denies that universals exist; actually, it goes deeper... denying that their is a source of truth higher than man and independent of man.

Nominalism provides the bridge to several logical leaps. Nominalism serves as the bridge to empiricism and a complete focus on sensual reality, a reality rooted only in the senses. A reality only rooted in the sense of men naturally produces relativism, pragmatism, rationalism and materialism. If men and women define reality through their senses then life becomes fixed to their time and space. We lose our ability to dream and hope because there is no reality outside of the human being. Man begins to act like God and looks to himself for answers and not beyond himself for answers. Philosophy becomes God and any idea must become linked to philosophy to mean anything in the world, and that includes science. Predictably, evolution came along to link science to philosophy and provide the legitimacy science so desperately needed.

Nominalism attacks any form of religion because religion depends on a dimension greater than three. Nominalism plants us in this three dimensional world and forbids any thought of anything not explained by the three dimension we, humans, live and play in each day. Logically and rationally, religion becomes illegitimate and comical because, by its nature, it depends most of those dimensions beyond the three we occupy.

Nominalism is alive and well in our country, in our schools and in our churches. It exists in the form of legalism, power, popularity, entertainment and the list goes on and on. Anytime we root truth in men, things or even time and space we fall into the trap of nominalism. What do we learn when we listen to the world? We only need a good education and logic to have all that we need. Is not the American dream rooted in nominalism? These things are worth thinking and praying about to determine if they present a barrier to the real truth... Jesus Christ. Blessings!