WHAT IS AN ENTITY? (PHILOSOPHY) - PHILOSOPHY - 2026

The entity in philosophy is a concept that is related to existence, to being. In short, it could be defined as that which is and that participates in being. However, it has its own characteristics compared to being. Likewise, each philosophical tradition has established its own definitions, from the Aristotelian Greek to the scholastic.

From the beginning of philosophy, asking oneself about what exists, whether it is perceptible by the senses or has essence apart from what we perceive has been one of the most important questions.

This question is the essence of the so-called ontology, which studies being in general. In fact, the prefix "Onto" comes from "entity".

Definition of entity in philosophy

Its first meaning in philosophy is found in ancient Greece. The word comes from the Greek word «ὄν» (ón), which means "to be". Later, the Romans made it "ens", with the same meaning.

The definition is not simple, since there are differences between the various philosophical currents. Some oppose "being" and "existing", while others are not so clear.

It can be said that the "entity" is what it is. In this way, the entity has the characteristic of "being", although it does not cover all its characteristics. This entity would be the being, but in a concrete way.

A classic example to understand it is to make an analogy with a person. Thus, the person is the entity itself, but, at the same time, it can be a teacher or an artist. Whatever it is, the entity is the same: a human being.

The Entity for some philosophers

Aristotle

Aristotle was one of the first philosophers to use the concept "entity" in his works. From his philosophy, entities are only if they appear, when they have their own attributes that can be observed.

In this way, it puts existence and appearance on the same level. Nothing can be but appears at the same time. This means that the same entity has plural characteristics, since they have different attributes.

Scholastic school

This current was born in the monasteries during the European Middle Ages. Its main author is Saint Thomas Aquinas, who recovers part of Aristotle's thoughts, adapting them to the Christianity of the time.

One of his writings is, precisely, "Of the Being and the Essence", in which he tries to give an answer to what these concepts are and what the differences are.

For Santo Tomás, "the entity is the first notion of knowledge". It can be said that the entity is what it is, what exists. The philosopher affirms that there are 10 genders in the entity: the first, the substance, which exists by itself.

The other nine define and delimit this essence, since there are some such as quantity, quality or place and situation.

Martin Heidegger

He is perhaps the last great philosopher to deal with this subject and he does so by resorting to what he calls ontological difference. He maintains that there is a great difference between essence and being.

In short, it declares that being is, while essence is not the same. The latter would be the entity, but not the being.

In his critique of Western metaphysics, Heidegger points out that he has incurred in putting by the term entity (what is), referring to content (what) and has forgotten what it originally meant: "to be present."

References

1. Definition of. Definition of Ente. Obtained from definicion.de
2. Andean Institute Platform. The Being as the Foundation of the Being of the Being (M. Heidegger). Obtained from bachilleratoenlinea.com
3. Theory and History of Ontology. The Concepts of Being. Obtained from ontology.co
4. Branch / Doctrine. Metaphysics. Retrieved from philosophybasics.com
5. Cline, Austin. What is Metaphysics ?. Retrieved from thoughtco.com