Principle

A principle is a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption, and whose idea is a central one in Western thought. For example the action of "change" is said to be based on five principles.

Commonly used synonyms (originative) "source" or "beginning".

For example, in some senses a "nature" is the source of a thing's action, and an "essence" is the source of a thing's being.

A "cause" is a kind of principle, but the meaning of principle can be broader than "cause" in at least two ways. First, a principle can be a "deprivation" in the sense of the absence of a thing understood to be present by nature. For example the absence of a woman's eye, of which could be spoken as a principle of certain actions.

Secondly, in Christian theology, the Son of God and Holy Spirit were not created, but are said to have God the Father as their "source" or principle.

Principles can be divided along three primary dimensions: principles of reality, moral principles, and logical principles.

See also

• Credibility