Concept
Ousia
Overview
Ousia (; Ancient Greek: οὐσία) is a philosophical and theological term, originally used in ancient Greek philosophy, then later in Christian theology. It was used by various ancient Greek philosophers, especially Aristotle, as a primary designation for philosophical concepts of essence or substance. It is analogous to concepts of being and the ontological in contemporary philosophy. In Christian theology, the concept of θεία ουσία (divine essence) is one of the most important doctrinal concepts, central to the development of trinitarian doctrine.
The Ancient Greek term θεία ουσία (theia ousia; divine essence) was translated in Latin as essentia or substantia, and hence in English as essence or substance.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Ousia is discussed.
Est igitur et hominis quidem essentia, id est [Greek: ousia], et subsistentia, id est [Greek: ousiosis], et [Greek: hupostasis], id est substantia, et [Greek: prosopon], id est persona; [Greek: ousia], quidem atque essentia quoniam est, [Greek: ousiosis] uero atque subsistentia quoniam in nullo subiecto est, [Greek: hupostasis] uero atque substantia, quoniam subest ceteris quae subsistentiae non sunt, id est [Greek…
Boethius, The Theological Tractates and The Consolation of Philosophy
names the idea; author linked in the graph; opens on it
SOCRATES: They are the men to whom I should attribute the imposition of names. Even in foreign names, if you analyze them, a meaning is still discernible. For example, that which we term ousia is by some called esia, and by others again osia. Now that the essence of things should be called estia, which is akin to the first of these (esia = estia), is rational enough. And there is reason in the Athenians calling that…
Plato, Cratylus
states what it is; names the idea
From this usage it has also come to pass that God Himself is called pious,[369] in which sense the Greeks never use εὐσεβεῖν, though εὐσέβεια is applied to works of charity by their common people also.
of Hippo Augustine, The City of God, Volume I
states what it is; author linked in the graph
And with regard to the understanding of the words following, out of all those truths, he chooses one to himself, who saith, But the earth was invisible, and without form, and darkness was upon the deep; that is, "that corporeal thing that God made, was as yet a formless matter of corporeal things, without order, without light." Another he who says, The earth was invisible and without form, and darkness was upon the…
of Hippo Augustine, The Confessions of St. Augustine
states what it is; author linked in the graph
Evening may therefore be called 'the old age of the day,' and old age, 'the evening of life,' or, in the phrase of Empedocles, 'life's setting sun.' For some of the terms of the proportion there is at times no word in existence; still the metaphor may be used. For instance, to scatter seed is called sowing: but the action of the sun in scattering his rays is nameless. Still this process bears to the sun the same…
Aristotle, The Poetics of Aristotle
states what it is; author linked in the graph
Philosophers who discussed Ousia
Related ideas
- Natural kind
- Arianism
- Philosophy
- Ancient Greek
- Hylomorphism
- Categories (Aristotle)
- Ancient Greek philosophy
- Latin
- Apuleius
- Boethius
- Augustine of Hippo
- Platonism
- Ontology
- Origen
- Particular
- Early Christianity
- Metaphysics (Aristotle)
- Substance theory
- Hypostasis (philosophy and religion)
- Christian theology
- Second Coming
- Theology
- Aristotle
- Tertullian
Place in the tradition
Part of Ancient Greek philosophy.