Definition of animism

The word "animism" has its roots in 18th-century Western philosophy and anthropology. The term was coined by German philosopher Christian Friedrich Bahrdt in 1769. Bahrdt used the term to describe a primitive form of speculation, in which people attributed consciousness or life (anima in Latin) to non-human entities, such as animals, plants, and natural phenomena. Later, anthropologists like E.B. Tylor and James George Frazer popularized the term in the late 19th century to describe a range of indigenous belief systems and shamanic practices found among non-Western cultures. In these contexts, animism referred to the belief that animals, spirits, and natural entities possess some form of consciousness or soul. Today, the term animism is used to describe a broader range of belief systems that attribute consciousness, intention, or life force to non-human entities, including contemporary eco-spiritual movements and nature-based spiritualities.