A philosophical belief that attributes human psychological characteristics or consciousness to nature, animals, or the universe itself.
From Greek 'anthropos' (human) + 'psyche' (soul/mind) + '-ism' (doctrine). This term emerged in 19th-century philosophy to describe the tendency to interpret non-human phenomena through the lens of human consciousness.
This is essentially the opposite of what scientists warn against—instead of projecting human feelings onto animals, anthropopsychism suggests the universe itself might be conscious. Some early philosophers thought this could explain why nature seems so ordered and purposeful.
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