eclectic school; generalist; jack-of-all-trades
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
Eclectic School (pre-Qin philosophical school synthesizing various doctrines)
technicalCapitalized when referring to the specific school. One of the Nine Schools (九流) of thought during the Warring States period, represented chiefly by the Lüshi Chunqiu.
The Eclectic School was an important school of thought during the late Warring States to Qin-Han periods.
Lüshi Chunqiu is the representative work of the Eclectic School.
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The Eclectic School combined Confucianism and Mohism, synthesized Logicism and Legalism, and absorbed ideas from various philosophers.
noun
person with broad but superficial knowledge; jack-of-all-trades; generalist
neutralMay carry a slightly negative connotation of lacking deep expertise, similar to 'jack-of-all-trades, master of none', though it can also be used neutrally or positively to describe versatility.
He is a generalist—he knows a bit about literature, history, and technology.
While generalists have broad knowledge, they often lack professional depth.
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In this era of professional specialization, generalists have become rather scarce.