Obscurantisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The deliberate use of methods that restrict access to knowledge Actions that hinder the understanding of facts and truth Philosophical approaches designed to maintain ignorance in society
2. Actions aiming to prevent clear dissemination of information or understanding ; the deliberate creation of uncertainty or ambiguity regarding facts ; a belief system that values keeping information hidden to sustain ignorance
3. Techniques used to block or complicate access to learning and facts ; purposeful obscuring or complicating of truths to confuse or mislead ; a philosophical position favoring the suppression of knowledge to avoid enlightenment

Etymology: "Obscurantisms" is the plural of "obscurantism," so it refers to several acts or systems of deliberately keeping things hidden. The root is the Latin verb "obscurare," meaning to cover, darken or obscure, built from "obscurus" (dark). The English suffix "-ism" was added to form a noun naming a doctrine or practice, and the result turned a simple idea of darkening into a label for a policy of blocking knowledge. The meaning in English took on a historical edge. The term came to be applied to people who opposed the spread of learning and enlightenment, a sense that is often linked to the Enlightenment-era critics who accused their opponents of keeping the public in the dark. That broader sense is a close match for the modern meaning of deliberate concealment of facts, which is why the plural is used when discussing several such efforts.

Synonyms: mystifications, confusions, obscurities, ambiguities, clouding

Antonyms: clarity, transparency, lucidity, understanding, enlightenment