Vitalism

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vitalism \Vi"tal*ism\, n. (Biol.)
     The doctrine that all the functions of a living organism are
     due to an unknown vital principle distinct from all chemical
     and physical forces.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vitalism
       n : (philosophy) a doctrine that life is a vital principle
           distinct from physics and chemistry