A tendency to engage in or promote controversial debates and arguments as a way of thinking or behavior.
From 'controversy' (from Latin controversia, meaning 'dispute') + '-alism' (suffix forming ideologies or practices). The '-ism' suffix was added to create an abstract noun describing this as a systematic approach or worldview.
This word captures how some people are drawn to debate itself—they don't just happen to disagree, they actively seek out controversy as part of how they engage with ideas, which makes them natural philosophers and debaters.
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