philistinism
Sign in to savethumb|right|200px|The British poet and cultural critic Matthew Arnold adapted the German word Philister to English as the word philistine to denote [[anti-intellectualism.]]
Article
9 sectionsContents
- History
- Usages
- 17th century
- 18th century
- 19th century
- 20th century
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|right|200px|The British poet and cultural critic Matthew Arnold adapted the German word Philister to English as the word philistine to denote [[anti-intellectualism.]]
In the fields of philosophy and of aesthetics, the term philistinism describes the attitudes, habits, and characteristics of a person who deprecates art, beauty, spirituality, and intellect. As a derogatory term, philistine describes a person who is narrow-minded and hostile to the life of the mind, whose materialistic and wealth-oriented worldview and tastes indicate an indifference to cultural and aesthetic values.