Contextualism

Pronunciation: /ˈˌkɑntɛksˌtʃuəɫˈɪzəm/

Contextualism (noun)

  1. A view that the meaning of a word or statement depends on the situation around it.
  2. A view in ethics that what is right can depend on the specific circumstances, not only fixed rules.
  3. A view in law that decisions should consider the facts of each case, rather than applying rules mechanically.

Examples

  • In contextualism, meaning depends on context, not just the words.
  • Contextualism says the same sentence can mean different things in different contexts.