dualism
n. C / Un. the idea that something is made of two very different, often opposite, parts. In philosophy, it usually refers to the belief that the mind and the body are completely separate things.
n. the division of something conceptually into two opposed or contrasted aspects, or the state of being so divided. In philosophy and theology, it specifically describes the theory that the mental and the physical, or good and evil, are fundamentally distinct entities.
The book explores the dualism between good and evil in human nature.
Many ancient religions are based on a strict dualism, teaching that the universe is a constant battleground between light and darkness.
Cartesian dualism posits that the immaterial mind and the material body are fundamentally distinct substances, a framework that profoundly shaped early modern philosophy despite ongoing challenges from neuroscience.
From dual + -ism.
Uncountable when referring to the general philosophical doctrine; countable when describing a specific instance of two contrasting concepts.