What does aseity mean?
Aseity is a philosophical and theological term denoting self-existence: the condition of a being whose existence derives from itself rather than from any external cause. The word comes from the Latin phrase 'a se', meaning 'from itself'. In classical theism, aseity is regarded as one of God's essential attributes — God exists necessarily and independently, needing neither creator nor sustaining cause. Beyond theology, philosophers have occasionally applied the term more broadly to discuss self-grounding entities or autonomous systems. Aseity belongs to a specialized vocabulary shared with terms like contingency (existence dependent on something else) and necessary being. It appears chiefly in scholarly writing on metaphysics, medieval philosophy, and systematic theology, where discussions of the doctrine of aseity explore what it means for something to exist entirely of its own accord.
nounThe property of being self-originating or self-existent; existence derived from oneself alone. In theology, it refers to God's attribute of existing independently of any other cause.
- (Philosophy and theology) The quality of having one's existence derived from oneself alone; self-existence, especially as an attribute ascribed to God.
"Classical theologians attributed aseity to God, arguing that the divine being depends on nothing outside itself for its existence."
"Medieval scholastics debated whether aseity could belong to anything less than the divine essence."
"The philosopher argued that true freedom requires a kind of aseity — a self that grounds itself without external support."
The plural is rare and appears mainly in academic texts comparing different accounts of self-existence.
"The survey compared competing conceptions of divine aseities across the three Abrahamic traditions."
Aseity comes from Latin 'a se' — 'from itself' — making it literally a word about something that needs nothing else to exist.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of aseity
Aseity derives from the Medieval Latin 'aseitas', formed from 'a se', meaning 'from itself'. The term emerged in scholastic theology during the medieval period, particularly among thinkers discussing the divine attributes. English adopted the word around the seventeenth century through translations of scholastic works. Its cognate formations include 'esse' ('to be'), which also gave rise to related philosophical vocabulary such as 'essence' and 'entity'.
How aseity is actually used
Aseity is a technical term used almost exclusively in academic philosophy, theology, and metaphysics. It is formal in register and rarely appears in everyday conversation. It is most often discussed with respect to God in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic philosophical traditions.
Easily confused with aseity
Aseity is a philosophical term for self-existent being, while anxiety is a feeling of worry or unease.