Gnosiology
Encyclopedia
The term gnosiology is a term of 18th Century aesthetics, currently used mainly in regard to Eastern Christianity.
words gnosis
("knowledge", γνῶσις) and logos ("word" or "discourse", λόγος). Linguistically, one might compare it to epistemology, which is derived from the Greek words episteme ("certain knowledge") and logos.
(1714–1762) introduced the term "gnosiology" in conjunction with his efforts in the field of aesthetics. The term gnosiology is not well known today, though found in Baldwin's (1906) Dictionary of Psychology and Philosophy. The Encyclopedia Britannica (1911) remarks that "The term Gnosiology has not, however, come into general use. (See Philosophy.)".
concept, gnosiology broadly means the theory of knowledge, which in ancient Greek philosophy was perceived as a combination of sensory perception
and intellect
and then made into memory (called the mnemonic
system). When considered in the context of science
, gnosiology takes on a different meaning: the study of knowledge, its origin, processes, and validity. Gnosiology being the study of types of knowledge i.e. memory (abstract knowledge derived from experimentation being "episteme
"), experience induction
(or empiricism
), deduction
(or rationalism
), scientific abductive reasoning
, contemplation
(theoria
), metaphysical
and instinctual or intuitive
knowledge. Gnosiology is focused on the study of the noesis and noetic components of human ontology
.
Within gnosiology, gnosis is derived by noesis. Noesis is the experiences or activities of the nous. This makes the study and origin of gnosis and gnosiology the study of the intuitive and or instinctual.
The nous
in Hellenistic philosophy is the term for the demiurge
, meaning that the creator God is the God of consciousness or nous, making the activities of the nous also the activities of the spirit and/or demiurge. This strand of thought, in vilifing the Creator (the demiurge
in Plato's Timaeus
) and the nous' activity (including gnosis) is shown by Plotinus
to be vilifying the nous. The followers of gnosticism
vilified the material world, the human body and nature (all components of the nous, according to Neoplatonism
). This view is in contrast with Hellenistic non-Christian philosophy (which uses the term demiurge to mean nous) as well as Greek Orthodox Christianity (which uses spirit, consciousness or heart and sometimes soul to mean nous). Plotinus and other Neoplatonic philosophers pointed out that sensory perception is part of the nous, and that in essence it is critical to existence, since nothing is outside of the universe in Neoplatonism. Plotinus viewed the followers of gnosticism as vilifying existence when they vilify a critical ontological component of being. Greek Orthodox Christianity also sees this as vilification of existence in specific by equating consciousness
with evil.
Etymology
The term is derived from the GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
words gnosis
Gnosis
Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge . In the context of the English language gnosis generally refers to the word's meaning within the spheres of Christian mysticism, Mystery religions and Gnosticism where it signifies 'spiritual knowledge' in the sense of mystical enlightenment.-Related...
("knowledge", γνῶσις) and logos ("word" or "discourse", λόγος). Linguistically, one might compare it to epistemology, which is derived from the Greek words episteme ("certain knowledge") and logos.
Aesthetics
Alexander Gottlieb BaumgartenAlexander Gottlieb Baumgarten
Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten was a German philosopher.-Biography:Baumgarten was born in Berlin as the fifth of seven sons of the pietist pastor of the garrison, Jacob Baumgarten and his wife Rosina Elisabeth....
(1714–1762) introduced the term "gnosiology" in conjunction with his efforts in the field of aesthetics. The term gnosiology is not well known today, though found in Baldwin's (1906) Dictionary of Psychology and Philosophy. The Encyclopedia Britannica (1911) remarks that "The term Gnosiology has not, however, come into general use. (See Philosophy.)".
Eastern Orthodox theology
The term Gnosiology (Greek: Γνωσιολογία) is used more commonly in Greek than in English. As a philosophicalPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
concept, gnosiology broadly means the theory of knowledge, which in ancient Greek philosophy was perceived as a combination of sensory perception
Perception
Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of the environment by organizing and interpreting sensory information. All perception involves signals in the nervous system, which in turn result from physical stimulation of the sense organs...
and intellect
Intellect
Intellect is a term used in studies of the human mind, and refers to the ability of the mind to come to correct conclusions about what is true or real, and about how to solve problems...
and then made into memory (called the mnemonic
Mnemonic
A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
system). When considered in the context of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, gnosiology takes on a different meaning: the study of knowledge, its origin, processes, and validity. Gnosiology being the study of types of knowledge i.e. memory (abstract knowledge derived from experimentation being "episteme
Episteme
Episteme, as distinguished from techne, is etymologically derived from the Greek word ἐπιστήμη for knowledge or science, which comes from the verb ἐπίσταμαι, "to know".- The Concept of an "Episteme" in Michel Foucault :...
"), experience induction
Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning, also known as induction or inductive logic, is a kind of reasoning that constructs or evaluates propositions that are abstractions of observations. It is commonly construed as a form of reasoning that makes generalizations based on individual instances...
(or empiricism
Empiricism
Empiricism is a theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge comes only or primarily via sensory experience. One of several views of epistemology, the study of human knowledge, along with rationalism, idealism and historicism, empiricism emphasizes the role of experience and evidence,...
), deduction
Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning, also called deductive logic, is reasoning which constructs or evaluates deductive arguments. Deductive arguments are attempts to show that a conclusion necessarily follows from a set of premises or hypothesis...
(or rationalism
Rationalism
In epistemology and in its modern sense, rationalism is "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification" . In more technical terms, it is a method or a theory "in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive"...
), scientific abductive reasoning
Abductive reasoning
Abduction is a kind of logical inference described by Charles Sanders Peirce as "guessing". The term refers to the process of arriving at an explanatory hypothesis. Peirce said that to abduce a hypothetical explanation a from an observed surprising circumstance b is to surmise that a may be true...
, contemplation
Contemplation
The word contemplation comes from the Latin word contemplatio. Its root is also that of the Latin word templum, a piece of ground consecrated for the taking of auspices, or a building for worship, derived either from Proto-Indo-European base *tem- "to cut", and so a "place reserved or cut out" or...
(theoria
Theoria
For other uses of the term "contemplation", see Contemplation Theoria is Greek for contemplation. It corresponds to the Latin word contemplatio, "looking at", "gazing at", "being aware of".- Introduction :...
), metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
and instinctual or intuitive
Intuition (knowledge)
Intuition is the ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason. "The word 'intuition' comes from the Latin word 'intueri', which is often roughly translated as meaning 'to look inside'’ or 'to contemplate'." Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot necessarily justify...
knowledge. Gnosiology is focused on the study of the noesis and noetic components of human ontology
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
.
Within gnosiology, gnosis is derived by noesis. Noesis is the experiences or activities of the nous. This makes the study and origin of gnosis and gnosiology the study of the intuitive and or instinctual.
The nous
Nous
Nous , also called intellect or intelligence, is a philosophical term for the faculty of the human mind which is described in classical philosophy as necessary for understanding what is true or real, very close in meaning to intuition...
in Hellenistic philosophy is the term for the demiurge
Demiurge
The demiurge is a concept from the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy for an artisan-like figure responsible for the fashioning and maintenance of the physical universe. The term was subsequently adopted by the Gnostics...
, meaning that the creator God is the God of consciousness or nous, making the activities of the nous also the activities of the spirit and/or demiurge. This strand of thought, in vilifing the Creator (the demiurge
Demiurge
The demiurge is a concept from the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy for an artisan-like figure responsible for the fashioning and maintenance of the physical universe. The term was subsequently adopted by the Gnostics...
in Plato's Timaeus
Timaeus (dialogue)
Timaeus is one of Plato's dialogues, mostly in the form of a long monologue given by the title character, written circa 360 BC. The work puts forward speculation on the nature of the physical world and human beings. It is followed by the dialogue Critias.Speakers of the dialogue are Socrates,...
) and the nous' activity (including gnosis) is shown by Plotinus
Plotinus
Plotinus was a major philosopher of the ancient world. In his system of theory there are the three principles: the One, the Intellect, and the Soul. His teacher was Ammonius Saccas and he is of the Platonic tradition...
to be vilifying the nous. The followers of gnosticism
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
vilified the material world, the human body and nature (all components of the nous, according to Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism , is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists, with its earliest contributor believed to be Plotinus, and his teacher Ammonius Saccas...
). This view is in contrast with Hellenistic non-Christian philosophy (which uses the term demiurge to mean nous) as well as Greek Orthodox Christianity (which uses spirit, consciousness or heart and sometimes soul to mean nous). Plotinus and other Neoplatonic philosophers pointed out that sensory perception is part of the nous, and that in essence it is critical to existence, since nothing is outside of the universe in Neoplatonism. Plotinus viewed the followers of gnosticism as vilifying existence when they vilify a critical ontological component of being. Greek Orthodox Christianity also sees this as vilification of existence in specific by equating consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
with evil.