ΠΟΙΗΣΙΣ
Poiesis, a foundational concept in ancient Greek thought, describes the act of creation, production, and making, whether of a physical object, a work of art, or even human existence itself. It is often distinguished from praxis, ethical action, as poiesis aims at the production of an external result. Its lexarithmos (578) suggests a complex process of creation and transformation.
Definition
According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, "ποίησις" (poiesis, ἡ) is primarily defined as "the act of making, fabricating, creating," and by extension, "production, creation," and "poetry, the poetic art." This word, though seemingly simple, carries immense philosophical weight in ancient Greek thought, particularly in Plato and Aristotle.
In Plato, poiesis is not limited to artistic creation but extends to every form of production that brings something from non-being into being. In the "Symposium" (205b-c), Socrates, through Diotima, explains that "πᾶσα γὰρ ἔκ του μὴ ὄντος εἰς οὐσίαν ἴουσα αἰτία ποιήσις ἐστίν," meaning "for every cause that brings anything from non-being into being is poiesis." This broad concept includes not only art but also the creation of laws, institutions, and even procreation.
Aristotle, in his "Nicomachean Ethics" (VI.4, 1140a1-23), clearly distinguishes poiesis from praxis. Poiesis is an activity whose end is the production of a work (ἔργον) external to the agent, such as building a house or writing a poem. The value of poiesis is judged by the quality of the produced work. In contrast, praxis is an action whose end is within the action itself, such as ethical conduct, and its value is judged by the intention and character of the agent. This distinction is fundamental to understanding Aristotelian ethics and aesthetics.
Etymology
Cognate words include: poiētēs (ποιητής, the maker, poet), poiēma (ποίημα, the thing made, poem), poiētikos (ποιητικός, able to make or create), poiēteos (ποιητέος, that which must be made). Also, words like "polypoiia" (πολυποιία, meddling) and "apoieō" (ἀποιέω, to disclaim).
Main Meanings
- The act of making, production — The basic, literal meaning: the creation of an object or a result. E.g., the construction of a table.
- Creation, production in general — The broader sense of bringing something into existence, from non-being to being, as described in Plato.
- Poetic art, poetry — The specific meaning the word acquired for the art of composing verses and literary works.
- The work produced, the creation — Metonymically, the word can refer to the result of the creative act itself, e.g., a poem.
- Performance, execution — In certain contexts, it can mean the carrying out of an action or the achievement of a purpose.
- Cause, source — In philosophical texts, it can denote the principle or cause that brings something about.
- Procreation, reproduction — In Platonic thought, the creation of new life as a form of poiesis.
Philosophical Journey
Poiesis, as a concept, traverses the history of Greek thought, evolving from a simple description of production into a central philosophical term.
In Ancient Texts
Three characteristic passages that highlight the variety of meanings of poiesis in ancient Greek literature:
Lexarithmic Analysis
The lexarithmos of the word ΠΟΙΗΣΙΣ is 578, from the sum of its letter values:
578 decomposes into 500 (hundreds) + 70 (tens) + 8 (units).
The 18 Methods
Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΠΟΙΗΣΙΣ:
| Method | Result | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Isopsephy | 578 | Base lexarithmos |
| Decade Numerology | 2 | 5+7+8=20 → 2+0=2. The Dyad, the number of creation, division, and opposition, reflects the process of poiesis that brings something new into existence, separating it from non-being. |
| Letter Count | 7 | 7 letters. The Heptad, a number of perfection, completion, and spiritual creation, suggests the finished nature of the work resulting from poiesis. |
| Cumulative | 8/70/500 | Units 8 · Tens 70 · Hundreds 500 |
| Odd/Even | Even | Feminine force |
| Left/Right Hand | Right | Divine (≥100) |
| Quotient | — | Comparative method |
| Notarikon | P-O-I-E-S-I-S | Profound Originality Inspires Every Sublime Idea, Spirit. |
| Grammatical Groups | 4V · 3C | 4 vowels (ο, ι, η, ι) and 3 consonants (π, σ, σ). |
| Palindromes | No | |
| Onomancy | — | Comparative |
| Sphere of Democritus | — | Divination with lunar day |
| Zodiacal Isopsephy | Mars ♂ / Gemini ♊ | 578 mod 7 = 4 · 578 mod 12 = 2 |
Isopsephic Words (578)
Words from the Liddell-Scott-Jones lexicon with the same lexarithmos (578) that illuminate aspects of poiesis:
The LSJ lexicon contains a total of 56 words with lexarithmos 578. For the full catalog and AI semantic filtering, see the interactive tool.
Sources & Bibliography
- Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1940.
- Plato — Symposium. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
- Aristotle — Nicomachean Ethics. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
- Aristotle — Physics. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press.
- Jaeger, Werner — Paideia: The Ideals of Greek Culture. Vol. I. Translated by Gilbert Highet. Oxford University Press, 1945.
- Else, Gerald F. — Aristotle's Poetics: The Argument. Harvard University Press, 1957.
- Guthrie, W. K. C. — A History of Greek Philosophy. Vol. IV: Plato, The Man and His Dialogues: Earlier Period. Cambridge University Press, 1975.