idealism
n.the belief that you can make the world better or reach a perfect state. It often means focusing on how things should be rather than how they really are.
n.the practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially in a way that is unrealistic. In a philosophical context, it refers to any system of thought that emphasizes the central role of the ideal or the spiritual in the interpretation of experience.
“Her youthful idealism makes her believe she can change the entire world.”
“The politician's idealism was tested when he realized that passing the law required making difficult compromises with his rivals.”
“While critics dismissed the proposal as pure idealism, the architects argued that a vision of a sustainable city was necessary to inspire actual urban reform.”
Often contrasted with 'realism' or 'pragmatism'.
First attested 1796, from ideal + -ism.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.