forma mentis

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English

Etymology

From Latin forma mentis (form of mind).

Noun

forma mentis (uncountable)

  1. A way of thinking; a mindset or set of attitudes.
    • 1991, Djelal Kadir, Columbus and the Ends of the Earth: Europe's Prophetic Rhetoric As Conquering Ideology, →ISBN, page 8:
      By Christopher Columbus's time, these tenets had become a forma mentis, a mental habit.
    • 2002, James Martin, Antonio Gramsci: Marxism, philosophy and politics, →ISBN, page 432:
      The groups that are out of power in this kind of state are allowed to aspire for power, but the prevailing forma mentis will induce them to pursue their goals in a manner that does not threaten the basic order or orderliness as such
    • 2007, Massimo Mazzotti, The World of Maria Gaetana Agnesi, Mathematician of God, →ISBN, page 26:
      Exposure to the logical structure of Latin grammar was thought to mold each student's forma mentis (mind set) appropriately—the content of selected texts would inspire him to cultivate the aristocratic virtues