Quiddity

Quiddity

In scholastic philosophy , quiddity (Latin "quidditas") was another term for the essence of an object, literally its "whatness," or"what it is." The term derives from the Latin word "quidditas," which was used by the medieval Scholastics as a literal translation of the equivalent term in Aristotle's Greek.

It describes properties a particular substance (e.g. a person) shares with others of its kind. The question "what (quid) is it?" asks for a general description by way of commonality. This is quiddity or "whatness" (i.e., its "what it is"). Quiddity was often contrasted by the scholastic philosophers with the haecceity or "thisness" of an item, which was supposed to be a positive characteristic of an individual that caused them to be "this" individual, and no other.

Other senses

*In law, the term is used to refer to a quibble or academic point. An example can be seen in Hamlet's graveside speech found in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. "Where be his quiddities now, his quillets, his cases, his tenures" says Hamlet referring to a lawyer's quiddities.

*Quiddity is the name for the mystical dream sea in Clive Barker's novel "The Great and Secret Show" that exists as a higher plane of human existence. It is featured as more of a literal sea in the novel's sequel, "Everville" and the related short story, On Amen's Shore.

ee also

*Essence
*Haecceity
*Ousia
*Substance


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  • Quiddity — Quid di*ty, n.; pl. {Quiddities}. [LL. quidditas, fr. L. quid what, neut. of quis who, akin to E. who: cf. F. quiddit[ e].] 1. The essence, nature, or distinctive peculiarity, of a thing; that which answers the question, Quid est? or, What is it? …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quiddity — index center (essence), character (personal quality), content (meaning), essence, gist (substance) …   Law dictionary

  • quiddity — (n.) 1530s, captious nicety in argument from M.L. quidditas, lit. whatness, from L. quid what, neuter of quis (see WHO (Cf. who)). Sense developed from scholastic disputes over the nature of things. Original meaning real essence or nature of a… …   Etymology dictionary

  • quiddity — [kwid′ə tē] n. pl. quiddities [ML quidditas < L quid, what, neut. of quis,WHO] 1. the essential quality of a thing 2. a trifling distinction; quibble …   English World dictionary

  • quiddity — noun /ˈkwɪdɪti/ a) The essence or inherent nature of a person or thing. , 1962: My vision reeked with truth. It had the tone, / The quiddity and quaintness of its own / Reality. Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire b) A trifle; a nicety or quibble Syn:… …   Wiktionary

  • quiddity — noun (plural ties) Etymology: Middle English quidite, from Medieval Latin quidditat , quidditas essence, from Latin quid what, neuter of quis who more at who Date: 14th century 1. whatever makes something the type that it is ; essence 2. a. a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • quiddity — /kwid i tee/, n., pl. quiddities. 1. the quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing. 2. a trifling nicety of subtle distinction, as in argument. [1530 40; < ML quidditas, equiv. to L quid what + itas ITY] * * * …   Universalium

  • quiddity — (Lat., quidditas, whatness) The real essence or nature of a thing; that which makes it the kind of thing that it is (sometimes opposed to haecceity which makes it the particular individual that it is). The whatness of things is thus a universal,… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • quiddity — Synonyms and related words: axiom, cavil, center, core, dodge, elixir, essence, essential, flower, focus, fundamental, gist, gravamen, heart, hypostasis, inner essence, jesuitism, kernel, marrow, meat, nub, nucleus, nuts and bolts, pith,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • quiddity — (mahiyya, lit. ‘whatness’)    See essence and existence …   Islamic philosophy dictionary

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