Formalism vs. Substantivism — What's the Difference?

Rigorous or excessive adherence to recognized forms, as in religion or art.

Substantivism is a position, first proposed by Karl Polanyi in his work The Great Transformation (1944), which argues that the term 'economics' has two meanings. The formal meaning, used by today's neoclassical economists, refers to economics as the logic of rational action and decision-making, as rational choice between the alternative uses of limited (scarce) means, as 'economising,' 'maximizing,' or 'optimizing.'The second, substantive meaning presupposes neither rational decision-making nor conditions of scarcity.

An instance of rigorous or excessive adherence to recognized forms.

A method of aesthetic analysis that emphasizes structural elements and artistic techniques rather than content, especially in literary works.

Strict adherence to a given form of conduct, practice etc.

(computing) One of several alternative computational paradigms for a given theory.

(literature) An approach to interpretation and/or evaluation focused on the (usually linguistic) structure of a literary work rather than on the contexts of its origin or reception.

(music) The tendency to elevate formal above expressive value in music, as in serialism.

A particular mathematical or scientific theory or description of a given state or effect.

A formal expression of a grammar; a formal grammar; a set of rules of syntax that, without reference to semantics, determine whether a sequence of symbols is a well-formed sentence in a given formal language.

(philosophy of mathematics) The ontological view of mathematics as a mere collection of string manipulation rules.

The practice or the doctrine of strict adherence to, or dependence on, external forms, esp. in matters of religion.

The doctrine that formal structure rather than content is what should be represented

(philosophy) the philosophical theory that formal (logical or mathematical) statements have no meaning but that its symbols (regarded as physical entities) exhibit a form that has useful applications

The practice of scrupulous adherence to prescribed or external forms