A doctrine or belief system that emphasizes animal nature; the theory that humans are fundamentally animals driven by instincts.
From 'animal' plus '-ism' (denoting a doctrine or practice), developed in the 18th-19th centuries as philosophers debated human nature versus reason.
Animalism was a philosophical battleground—some argued humans were just sophisticated animals, while others insisted we transcended animal nature through reason, and this debate shaped everything from politics to education policy.
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