Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The condition of being multiple or plural.
- noun A condition in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups are present and tolerated within a society.
- noun The belief that such a condition is desirable or socially beneficial.
- noun Ecclesiastical The holding by one person of two or more positions or offices, especially two or more ecclesiastical benefices, at the same time.
- noun The doctrine that reality is composed of many ultimate substances.
- noun The belief that no single explanatory system or view of reality can account for all the phenomena of life.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The doctrine that there are as many distinct and separate worlds as there are minds. See the extract.
- noun The character of being plural.
- noun The holding by one person of two or more offices at the same time; specifically, the holding of two or more livings or benefices at the same time, or the ecclesiastical system under which this is possible.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The quality or state of being plural, or in the plural number.
- noun (Eccl.), engraving The state of a pluralist; the holding of more than one ecclesiastical living at a time.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The quality or state of being
plural , or in the plural number. - noun ecclesiastical The state of a
pluralist ; the holding of more than oneecclesiastical living at a time. - noun social sciences A social system based on mutual respect for each other's cultures among various groups that make up a society, wherein
subordinate groups do not have to forsake their lifestyle and traditions but, rather, can express their culture and participate in the larger society free of prejudice.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun the practice of one person holding more than one benefice at a time
- noun the doctrine that reality consists of several basic substances or elements
- noun a social organization in which diversity of racial or religious or ethnic or cultural groups is tolerated
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Here I pick up a use of the word pluralism which is perhaps not all that common these days, but which was once, very properly, very significant in British political thought – think of theorists like Harold Laski.
Archbishop's lecture celebrating 60th Anniversary of the William Temple Foundation 2008
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Atheists, agnostics, secular humanists and the like have a vital stake in ensuring that America's promise of pluralism is realized, and it is exhilarating to see more of us decide that collaboration is more important than division.
Chris Stedman: Atheist Students Find Their Place in the Interfaith Movement Chris Stedman 2010
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President Obama has spoken frequently of the role that the nonreligious play in American pluralism, so I was both pleased and unsurprised to hear that those involved in the current administration's efforts to ensure interfaith cooperation agreed.
Chris Stedman: Atheist Students Find Their Place in the Interfaith Movement Chris Stedman 2010
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President Obama has spoken frequently of the role that the nonreligious play in American pluralism, so I was both pleased and unsurprised to hear that those involved in the current administration's efforts to ensure interfaith cooperation agreed.
Chris Stedman: Atheist Students Find Their Place in the Interfaith Movement Chris Stedman 2010
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Atheists, agnostics, secular humanists and the like have a vital stake in ensuring that America's promise of pluralism is realized, and it is exhilarating to see more of us decide that collaboration is more important than division.
Chris Stedman: Atheist Students Find Their Place in the Interfaith Movement Chris Stedman 2010
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For one, it ought to be fairly clear that internal pluralism is much more contingent on the specific mix of views in the population.
Pluralisms 2009
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These ideas are toxic to even the deepest pluralism because they begin from the premise and emotional commitment that pluralism is the enemy.
Jairus Grove: A User's Guide to the New Racism Jairus Grove 2010
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President Obama has spoken frequently of the role that the nonreligious play in American pluralism, so I was both pleased and unsurprised to hear that those involved in the current administration's efforts to ensure interfaith cooperation agreed.
Chris Stedman: Atheist Students Find Their Place in the Interfaith Movement Chris Stedman 2010
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These ideas are toxic to even the deepest pluralism because they begin from the premise and emotional commitment that pluralism is the enemy.
Jairus Grove: A User's Guide to the New Racism Jairus Grove 2010
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Atheists, agnostics, secular humanists and the like have a vital stake in ensuring that America's promise of pluralism is realized, and it is exhilarating to see more of us decide that collaboration is more important than division.
Chris Stedman: Atheist Students Find Their Place in the Interfaith Movement Chris Stedman 2010
kylenorth commented on the word pluralism
"Give Me Liberty!" Textbook
September 28, 2010