Vital Principle (Noun)
Meaning
A hypothetical force to which the functions and qualities peculiar to living things are sometimes ascribed.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The ancient Greeks believed in a vital principle that animated all living beings and explained their unique properties.
- According to this philosophy, the vital principle was an essential component of a living organism, without which it would cease to exist.
- The discovery of cells and DNA led to a decline in the concept of a vital principle, as the functions and qualities of living things were explained by scientific principles.
- Some people still hold onto the idea of a vital principle, arguing that there is an intangible force that gives life its unique characteristics.
- In some cultures, the vital principle is associated with the breath or the spirit, and is seen as the essence of a living being.