Ethos
The English term ethics is derived from the Ancient Greek word ēthikós (ἠθικός), meaning "relating to one's character", which itself comes from the root word êthos (ἦθος) meaning "character, moral nature". This word was transferred into Latin as ethica.
Cognate éthos[1] (from éthō[2], "to be accustomed") can mean an unwritten custom; behavior based on tradition (a habit) fixed by the religious social life of a nation. In the Greek ethos the individual was highly valued but some individuals were held up as heroes, placing greater value upon their opinions and positions.
The ethics of mankind have been expressed through several perspectives. Ethos can mean custom, habit, character, or disposition. One’s ethics can be derived from religion, traditional beliefs. To the Greeks and the Romans Ethos was the fundamental character or spirit of a culture consisting of the beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society. The ethos of a persons defines the dominant assumptions of a people or period, the ideals that characterize a community, nation, or even defined in their ideology.
The word was occationally used to refer to the power of music to generate an emothional responce that guided or influenced the behavior or even the morals of individuals or groups. The Greek term Pathos'[3] is far more an appeal to emotion and is often more effective than either ethos'[1] or logos[4] in the realm of emotion.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1485 ἔθος ethos [eth’-os] from 1486 etho; n n; TDNT-2:372,202; [{See TDNT 212 }] AV-custom 7, manner 4, be wont 1; 12
- 1) custom
- 2) usage prescribed by law, institute, prescription, rite
- ↑ 1486 ~ἔθω~ etho \@eth’-o\@ a root word; ; v AV-be wont 2, -as his custom was + 2596 + 3588 1, as his manner was + 2596 + 3588 1; 4
- 1) to be accustomed, used, wont
- 2) that which is wont
- 3) usage, custom
- ↑ 3806 πάθος pathos [path’-os] from the alternate of 3958; n n; TDNT-5:926,798; [{See TDNT 606 }] AV-inordinate affection 1, affection 1, lust 1; 3
- 1) whatever befalls one, whether it be sad or joyous
- 1a) spec. a calamity, mishap, evil, affliction
- 2) a feeling which the mind suffers
- 2a) an affliction of the mind, emotion, passion
- 2b) passionate deed
- 2c) used by the Greeks in either a good or bad sense
- 2d) in the NT in a bad sense, depraved passion, vile passions
- For Synonyms see entry 5845 & 5906
- See logos
- 1) whatever befalls one, whether it be sad or joyous
- ↑ 3056 ~λόγος~ logos \@log’-os\@ from 3004; n m AV-word 218, saying 50, account 8, speech 8, Word (Christ) 7, thing 5, not tr 2, misc 32; 330
- 1) of speech
- 1a) a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea
- 2) its use as respect to the MIND alone
- 3) In John, denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world’s life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man’s salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds.
- 4487 ρημα rhema can mean word or saying.
- 1) of speech