solipsism

noun

so·​lip·​sism ˈsō-ləp-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce solipsism (audio)
ˈsä-
: a theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing
also : extreme egocentrism
solipsist
ˈsō-ləp-sist How to pronounce solipsism (audio)
ˈsä-ləp-
sə-ˈlip-
noun

Did you know?

French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) can be blamed for the idea that if one whittles away beliefs about which one cannot be certain, one will eventually land at the existence of the self as a singular certainty; however, he cannot be blamed for either the word solipsism or the theory it refers to. (Descartes avoided falling into solipsism by positing that ideas known with the same clarity as the existence of the self is known must also be true.) Philosophical application of the word likely owes something to the French translation of a satiric work written by Venetian scholar Giulio Clemente Scotti in 1645 called Monarchia Solipsorum —in French, La Monarchie des Solipses. The pertinent term is a composite of the Latin solus ("alone") and ipse ("self").

Examples of solipsism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Doesn’t this encourage more bad feelings: solipsism, nihilism, futility? Lauren Oyler, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2024 In the early self-interviews and writings, Mr. Samaras returned frequently to the question of how his reflexive isolation and solipsism could function alongside his equally instinctual exhibitionism and visual extroversion. Randy Kennedy, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 As always in Davis’s fiction, an almost imperceptible line divides pedantry from precision, enthusiasm from solipsism. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2023 In the United States, meanwhile, a solipsism took root. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023 Are there only two paths for photography—vampirism and solipsism? Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2023 Open City can’t be said to endorse Julius’s aesthetic solipsism. Adam Kirsch, Harper's Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023 MariNaomi worries that our relationships, our feelings, our selves may be nothing but thoughts — a sad collage of solipsism. Noah Berlatsky, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'solipsism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin solus alone + ipse self

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of solipsism was in 1836

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Cite this Entry

“Solipsism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/solipsism. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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