Logos (λόγος, lógos) is an Ancient Greek term and means, among other things, "word", "discourse", "reason", or "account". It is a term used in Western philosophy, psychology and rhetoric, and it connotes an appeal to rational discourse that relies on inductive and deductive reasoning.
In ancient Greek philosophy, the term was used in different ways. Heraclitus suggested logos to mean a universal law that unites the cosmos. One notable usage was by Aristotle who applied the term to refer to argument from reason or logic in the field of rhetoric, and is one of the three modes of persuasion alongside ethos and pathos.
In Hellenistic Judaism, Philo of Alexandria used the term logos to mean an intermediary divine being or demiurge. The Logos was the highest of these intermediary beings, and was called by Philo "the first-born of God."
In Christianity, the Logos (Λόγος, Lógos) is the divine Word of God and is identified as Jesus Christ, the incarnation of the pre-existent second person of the Trinity. The Greek term appears in the New Testament and the Septuagint.
The word logos has also been used in different senses along with rhema. Both Plato and Aristotle used the term logos along with rhema to refer to sentences and propositions.
Usage
See Special:Whatlinkshere/Etymology:Logos for a list of articles using this term.
