Idea — Plato, one of the first philosophers to discuss ideas in detail. For other uses, see Idea (disambiguation). In the most narrow sense, an idea is just whatever is before the mind when one thinks. Very often, ideas are construed as representational … Wikipedia
idea — n. 1. [In the Platonic philosophy.] Archetype (conceived of as existing from eternity), pattern, model, exemplar, form, essence (common to many individual things and represented by a general term), creative or self active ideal. 2. [In the… … New dictionary of synonyms
Idea — • The word was originally Greek, but passed without change into Latin. It seems first to have meant form, shape, or appearance, whence, by an easy transition, it acquired the connotation of nature, or kind Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight.… … Catholic encyclopedia
Essence and Existence — • Essence, described as that whereby a thing is what it is. Existence is that whereby the essence is an actuality in the line of being Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Essence and Existence Essence and Existence … Catholic encyclopedia
Form — • The original meaning of the term form, both in Greek and Latin, was and is that in common use • eidos, being translated, that which is seen, shape, etc., with secondary meanings derived from this, as form, sort, particular, kind, nature… … Catholic encyclopedia
essence — [n1] heart, significance aspect, attribute, backbone, base, basis, be all and endall*, being, bottom, bottom line*, burden, caliber, character, chief constituent, constitution, core, crux, element, entity, essentia, essentiality, fiber, form,… … New thesaurus
idea — [n] something understood, planned, or believed abstraction, aim, approximation, belief, brainstorm*, clue, concept, conception, conclusion, conviction, design, doctrine, end, essence, estimate, fancy, feeling, flash*, form, guess, hint,… … New thesaurus
Essence — In philosophy, essence is the attribute or set of attributes that make an object or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it loses its identity. Essence is contrasted with accident: a property that… … Wikipedia
form — formable, adj. formably, adv. /fawrm/, n. 1. external appearance of a clearly defined area, as distinguished from color or material; configuration: a triangular form. 2. the shape of a thing or person. 3. a body, esp. that of a human being. 4. a… … Universalium
essence and existence — Ibn Sina argued that existence (wujud) is secondary to essence (mahiyya, lit. ‘whatness’ or quiddity), because we can think about something and it need not exist. In any case, everything that exists only comes into existence because it is… … Islamic philosophy dictionary
