Final answer:
The materialist perspective is a theoretical approach that prioritizes physical or material substances in explaining existence, denying the reality of non-material entities. It significantly impacts views on spirituality, god, and other non-material concepts. Marxism's historical materialism is one such materialist theory, which frames economic factors as primary in shaping societies and history.
Step-by-step explanation:
The materialist perspective is a theoretical approach that emphasizes the importance of material or physical substances in understanding the nature of existence and reality. This view posits that only material substances exist, and rejects the notion of any non-material or spiritual entities. As a philosophy, materialism has several strands, but they all share the principle that the physical world is all that there is, and that all phenomena, including consciousness, are the result of material interactions.
Philosophically, materialism can lead to different worldviews and has notable implications on the existence of god, soul, angels, and similar entities that are considered non-material. Historical materialism, a concept developed by Karl Marx, further assumes that economic factors fundamentally shape societies and drive historical change.
Additionally, when approaching the ontology of reality, materialism stands in contrast to idealism, which considers only spiritual substance as true reality, and dualism, which acknowledges both mind and material as equally real.