Dye means to change the colour of something, from the Old English dēagian (verb), and this represents to me a change or a different perspective.
Logue – means a discourse of a specified type (a dialogue). It traces its origin from the French –logue, coming from the Ancient Greek – logos.
Logos was first used in philosophy by Heraclitus (535 – 475 BCE), one of the earlier Greek philosophers. There is some ambiguity about what Heraclitus meant when he used the word logos, although in that period it generally meant a plea, word, or reason, and he may have used it meaning the overlying principle of knowledge.
About 150 years later when Aristotle used logos, he clearly meant a reasoned account or an argument using logic and reason and contrasted this with pathos meaning persuasion using emotional appeal, and ethos referring to persuasion through one’s moral character. Then when scientists, teachers or philosophers justified their ideas, they referred to these accounts as a logos. Logos meant the opposite of muthos, or an account where reason plays no part, from whence the word myth is derived. Logos was later used by the Stoics to describe the all pervasive reason or order in nature.
Philo, a Jewish philosopher who was alive at the time of Christ, and who was strongly influenced by Greek thought, and especially Plato, used the term logos to signify an intermediary divine entity, a connection between Plato’s imperfect matter, and perfect idea or thought. At this point we begin to use capitals for words that refer to the all pervasive unity and power, characteristic of the monotheistic Jewish God, and its derivatives, unlike the pantheon of the Ancient Greeks or Hindus. Philo wrote that “the Logos of the living God is the bond of everything, holding all things together and binding all the parts, and prevents them from being dissolved and separated.” In this sense the logos acted on behalf of God in the physical world. From this point it is understandable how the Christian Gospel of John (written in Ancient Greek in about 80CE) came to use Logos (which is usually translated in English as Word) in its opening verse – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God“, which 300 years later, when Christianity became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire, Logos (the Word) became somewhat synonymous to Christ in the concept of the Holy Trinity and establishing the divinity of Christ. Not being a Christian or a theologian, this becomes a fuzzy world of dogma to me, not a discourse, but a mess of words that cease to have clear meaning.
The relevance of Dialogue as used in this blog is the French word logue, which is nearer to Aristotle’s use of the Ancient Greek logos. Progress in the thought process can be achieved by first expressing your ideas, and then with dialogue.
Here I express my ideas. I will try to communicate these clearly, and I look forward to receiving comments or answers in return. A reply in agreement with me would be wonderful, giving me confidence, and a retort negating my idea would be equally welcome, as that could stimulate a thought process.
For ideas to evolve it is crucial for people to communicate, to voice their disagreement, or displeasure, or support, and to explain why. That is why freedom of speech is so crucial for a society, as censorship prevents this process. George Bernard Shaw’s saying “All great truths begin as blasphemies” is worth pondering.
In order to explain an idea clearly, it may be necessary to define the meaning of certain words used first (as I have done with my use of logos). For a concept to have validity, the arguments should be backed up with facts, reasons and evidence or logic.
Expressing a feeling or a belief that is not backed by evidence or a reason is meaningless. It is nothing more than an opinion, which may have great value in art, but not here, where it is worthless for this process of developing and exploring ideas. Such comments will not be published.