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aseity

[ uh-see-i-tee, ey-see- ]

noun

, Metaphysics.
  1. existence originating from and having no source other than itself.


aseity

/ eɪˈsiːɪtɪ /

noun

  1. philosophy existence derived from itself, having no other source
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of aseity1

1685–95; < Medieval Latin asēitās, equivalent to Latin ā sē from oneself + -itās -ity
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Word History and Origins

Origin of aseity1

C17: from Medieval Latin aseitas, from Latin ā from + oneself
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Example Sentences

They would be self-sufficient and exist in-and-of-themselves, maintaining aseity as in the philosophical concept of God.

To annoy these further by opposing pedantry to banality, one might say that the aseity is quintessential.

If we take independence in the sense of unlimitedness and aseity, we can speak, as the example of Spinoza shows, of only one, the divine substance.

He is SPIRITUAL, for were He composed of physical parts, some other power would have to combine them into the total, and his aseity would thus be contradicted.

For if He began in time, He would need a prior cause, and that would contradict his aseity.

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More About Aseity

What does aseity mean?

An aseity is the existence of something that has no source outside of itself or that has always existed with no creation.

Aseity is a philosophical term often used in relation to religion, myth, and creation stories. Many religions have stories detailing how the universe was first created, often by a being or force with aseity. In other words, a being or force that created itself through its own will or that always existed created the world.

Example: Thinking of a god with aseity always makes me feel insignificant.

Where does aseity come from?

The first records of the term aseity come from around the 1680s. It comes from the Medieval Latin asēitās meaning “being from oneself.”

Some of the first uses of aseity in discussions of religion come from Aurelius Augustinus, known in Christianity as Saint Augustine. Augustine based much of his writing about the Christian God on Neoplatonism, a field of philosophy that suggests that all things are connected to a supreme being known as the One. Augustine suggested that the Christian God was the One and that he was the only being to have true aseity. While other religions had held similar beliefs, Augustine was one of the first to describe their god as having aseity.

Did you know ... ?

What are some words that often get used in discussing aseity?

How is aseity used in real life?

Aseity is almost always used in discussions of religion and metaphysics, particularly in reference to deities or complex philosophical problems.

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Try using aseity!

Is aseity used correctly in the following sentence?

“If God has aseity, then he depends on human belief to exist.”

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