The Interesting Story of the Words Idea, Art, and Philosophy
The word “idea” comes from the ancient Greek word “idein,” which means “to see.” The original sense of “idea” was “form, pattern, or shape,” and it referred to the visual appearance of things.
Later, the philosopher Plato used the term to describe his theory of Forms or Ideas. According to Plato, the physical world is merely a shadow or copy of a higher reality of abstract Forms or Ideas that exist in a realm beyond our senses.
The word entered the Latin language with a different but similar spelling and it referred to the mental image or concept of something, as opposed to its physical manifestation.
From Latin, the word “idea” entered the English language in the 14th century with the same meaning. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to include notions, opinions, and suggestions.
The word “art” entered the English language through Old French, which in turn borrowed it from Latin. In Latin, the word “ars” meant “skill” or “craft,” and was used to refer to a wide range of activities, including painting, sculpture, music, and literature.
The Old French word “art” was used to refer specifically to the fine arts, such as painting, sculpture, and architecture. This usage was adopted into Middle English, where “art” continued to refer to the visual arts and crafts, as well as to skills and techniques in general.
The word “philosophy” is derived from the Greek “Philosophia,” which means “love of wisdom”.
“Philosophia” was formed from the combination of the words “Philo-” (meaning “love”) and “-Sophia” (meaning “wisdom”).
The term was coined by the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who is credited with being the first person to use it.
The word “philosophy” has been in use in the English language since the 16th century.
