Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 83

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CHAPTER

I

THE CONCEPTION OF SCIENCE Etymology and Accepted Use of

§ 37.

the

Word

The plan of a Theological Encyclopedia does not admit an exposition of the principles of the " doctrine of science " but neither will it do to describe the nature of Theology as a science, until the conception of " science "

is determined. In view of the very prevalent confusion with reference to this conception, the writer of a Theological Encyclopedia

should clearly define what he understands by it. Etymologically it is fairly certain that to knozv^ as an intellectual conception is derived from the sensual conception to see; and more particularly from seeing something one was looking for in the sense of finding. This may the more fully be emphasized, because not only the Indo-Germanic but also

the Semitic family of languages point to this origin of the conception to know. The Sanscrit has vid, to know vindami, ;

to find; the

know

Greek

fi8 in eiSov, to see, alongside of olSa, to

the Latin vid-ere, to see, alongside of

;

the Gothic

viso,

to visit

know, alongside of vit-an, to keep what one has found and the Old Slavic vid-e-ti, to see, alongside of ved-e-ti, to know. This development of the conception runs almost parallel with that of the Semitic root vada (3711) vait, to ;

which, just as in the so-called Pelasgic vid stands alongside of id, shows the double form of vada and iada' (^T). This

vada or iada' also is the common word for to kno7v, but with the root-meaning of to see. In 1 Sam. x. 11 and in Job xxviii. [That

1

Ho

see.''

is,

the Dutch xveten, which runs back to a base wit, = originally representatives of the root are such as 'wit,' 'wot,'

The English

'witness';

and

also such

words as

'wise,' 'guise,' 'vision,'

etc.]

59

'

visible,' 'idea.'

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