Gnomic

Gnomic

:"For the poetic form, see Gnomic Poetry. For the map projection, see Gnomonic projection."

In Ancient Greek, a general truth may be expressed in the present, future, or aorist tenses. This usage of these three tenses is called the gnomic (gnomic present, etc.).

A gnomic present states that something does happen or that something is true. A gnomic future, the rarest of the three usages, similarly states that certain events often occur, without being concerned with any specific impending event. A gnomic aorist (the most common of the three usages) likewise expresses the tendency for certain events to occur under given circumstances and is used to express general maxims (a rare English example of the gnomic expressed in a past tense is the phrase, "Curiosity killed the cat"). The gnomic aorist is thought to derive (as the English example does) from the summation of a common story (such as the moral of a fable).

Gnomic will

The notion of 'gnomic will' belongs to Eastern Orthodox ascetical theology, being developed particularly within the theology of St Maximus the Confessor. The term 'gnomic' derives from the Greek "gnome", meaning 'inclination' or 'intention'. Within Orthodox theology, gnomic willing is contrasted with natural willing. Natural willing designates the free movement of a creature in accordance with the principle ("logos") of its nature towards the fulfilment ("telos", "stasis") of its being. Gnomic willing, on the other hand, designates that form of willing in which a person engages in a process of deliberation culminating in a free choice.

Within the theology of St Maximus, which was upheld by the Sixth Ecumenical Council, Jesus Christ possessed no gnomic will. St Maximus developed this claim particularly in his "Dialogue with Pyrrhus". According to St Maximus, the process of gnomic willing presupposes that a person does not know what they want, and so must deliberate and choose between a range of alternatives. However, Jesus Christ, as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity was omniscient. Therefore, St Maximus reasoned, Christ was never in a state of ignorance regarding what he wanted, and so never engaged in gnomic willing.

ee also

* Grammatical mood


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  • gnomic — GNÓMIC, Ă, gnomici, ce, adj. 1. (Despre scrieri) Care cuprinde maxime, sentinţe, reflecţii, sfaturi morale. ♢ Poeţi gnomici = poeţi din Grecia (şi din Roma) antică, autori ai unor opere gnomice (1). 2. (lingv.; despre unele timpuri verbale) Care… …   Dicționar Român

  • Gnomic — Gnom ic, Gnomical Gnom ic*al, a. [Gr. ?, fr. ?: cf. F. gnomique. See {Gnome} maxim.] Sententious; uttering or containing maxims, or striking detached thoughts; aphoristic. [1913 Webster] A city long famous as the seat of elegiac and gnomic poetry …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • gnomic — index compact (pithy), pithy, sententious Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • gnomic — full of instructive sayings, 1815, from Fr. gnomique (18c.) and directly from L.L. gnomicus concerned with maxims, didactic, from Gk. gnomikos, from gnome thought, opinion, maxim, intelligence, from root of gignoskein to come to know (see GNOSTIC …   Etymology dictionary

  • gnomic — ► ADJECTIVE 1) in the form of short, pithy maxims or aphorisms. 2) enigmatic; ambiguous. DERIVATIVES gnomically adverb. ORIGIN from Greek gn m thought, opinion …   English terms dictionary

  • gnomic — [nō′mik, näm′ik] adj. [Gr gnōmikos < gnōmē: see GNOME2] 1. wise and pithy; full of aphorisms 2. designating or of a writer of aphorisms …   English World dictionary

  • gnomic — adjective Date: 1815 1. characterized by aphorism < gnomic utterances > 2. given to the composition of gnomic writing < a gnomic poet > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • gnomic —   a. pertaining to or like aphorisms; Grammar, signifying general truth.    ♦ gnomist,   n. writer of gnomic poetry.    ♦ gnomologic, a. aphoristic.    ♦ gnomology, n. gnomic writing; collection of gnomic writings …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • gnomic — [[t]no͟ʊmɪk[/t]] ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n A gnomic remark is brief and seems wise but is difficult to understand. [WRITTEN] In the gnomic words of Wittgenstein, The human body is the best picture of the human soul …   English dictionary

  • gnomic — adjective gnomic remarks are short, clever, and difficult to understand: gnomic predictions about the future of the economy gnomically / kli/ adverb …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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