多元，在社会科学中，指不同种族、民族、宗教或社会群体在一个共同文明体或共同社会的框架下，持续并自主地参与及发展自有传统文化或利益。

在多元社会中，不同族群相互间展示尊重与容纳，从而使他们可以安乐共存、相互间没有冲突或同化。许多人认为多元是现代社会的最重要特征之一，也是科学、社会、经济等发展的关键性推动力量。

在威权主义或寡头政治的社会，权力高度集中，各项决定由少数人做出。在多元社会，权力、决策过程及利益分享相对较为分散。人们相信这样可以鼓励社会成员更广泛的参与、更大的约束感、以及更佳的成效。比如，多元主义对下列情形是重要的：公司、政治体、经济体、科学界。在科研过程，多元主义是知识快速增长的重要因素。返回来，知识增长可以通过提高生产力、经济增长、改善医疗等来增进人类福利。

Pluralism as a political philosophy is the recognition and affirmation of diversity within a political body, which permits the peaceful coexistence of different interests, convictions and lifestyles. Political pluralists are not inherently socialists (who put equality as their guiding principle), liberals (who place liberty as their guiding principle) or conservatives (who place tradition as their guiding principle) but advocate a form of political moderation. Nor are political pluralists necessarily advocates of a democratic plurality, but generally agree that this form of government is often best at moderating discrete values.