Essence Facts for Kids

Essence (from the Latin essentia) is a word with many different meanings. It's used in philosophy and theology to describe the main qualities that make something what it truly is. Think of it as the core nature of a thing. Without these core qualities, the thing would lose its identity.

Essence is different from an accident. An accident is a quality that something has, but could lose, without changing what it fundamentally is. For example, a chair's essence is "something to sit on." Its color is an accident. If you paint the chair a different color, it's still a chair.

The idea of essence comes from ancient Greek thinkers like Aristotle and Plato. Aristotle used a Greek phrase that meant "the what it was to be." Later, Latin translators created the word essentia to explain this idea. For Aristotle, essence was closely linked to how we define things.

What Does Essence Mean?
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What Does Essence Mean?

Where the Word Comes From

The English word essence comes from the Latin word essentia. This Latin word was created by ancient Roman philosophers. They wanted a good way to translate the Greek word ousia, which had a similar meaning.

Some thinkers like Seneca the Younger thought Cicero created the word. Others like Quintilian believed it was much older. Over time, the word essentia became very important in Christian theology. It helped shape many related words in other languages.

Essence in Philosophy

Plato's Ideas

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato believed that things get their essence from perfect, unchanging "Forms" or "Ideas." These Forms are like perfect blueprints for everything in the world. For example, there's a perfect "Form of Beauty." All beautiful things we see are just copies of this perfect Form. Plato thought these Forms were more real than the things we see around us.

Aristotle's View

Aristotle, another Greek philosopher, had a slightly different idea. He thought the essence of a thing wasn't in a separate "Form." Instead, he believed the essence was inside the individual thing itself. It's the core part that makes something what it is. For Aristotle, the essence is what helps us define a thing.

What Are "Real" Essences?

The philosopher John Locke talked about "real essences" and "nominal essences."

Real essences are the actual things that make something what it is, deep down.
Nominal essences are just our ideas or names for what makes something what it is.

Essence and Existence

In a philosophy called Existentialism, thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre said that for humans, "existence precedes essence." This means that people first exist, and then they create their own essence through their choices and actions. There isn't a fixed "human nature" that decides who you are. You become who you are by living.

So, in existentialism, essence can mean:

A physical quality or feature.
A person's character or goals that they develop over time.

Essence in Religion

Buddhism's View

In Buddhism, especially the Madhyamaka school, there's a strong idea called 'Emptiness'. This means that all things are "empty of any essence." They believe that nothing has a fixed, unchanging core nature that exists on its own.

Buddhists think that believing in a fixed essence for things can lead to suffering. Instead, they focus on how things are connected and change. For them, things are what they are because of how they function and how we understand them, not because of a hidden, unchanging essence.

Hinduism's View

In Hinduism, people talk about Swadharma (essence) and Swabhava (mental habits).

Swadharma is your true, core nature. It's what holds you together and gives you your identity. It's also seen as your righteousness and duty.
Swabhava refers to your habits and ways of thinking that you develop from your experiences.

To truly understand your Swadharma, you need to become aware of your Swabhava and learn to control your habits.

Essence facts for kids

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