What is aphorism?

What Does aphorism Mean

A Greek word derived in the Latin term aphorismus , which in turn arrived in Castilian as an aphorism . An aphorism is a short expression that, in a given context , presents itself as a principle or a rule.

The aphorisms, therefore, are propositions that seek to pronounce something coherently and concisely. The notion was proposed by Hippocrates regarding the sentences that were used to name the symptoms of diseases and to diagnose them. From this use, the idea spread to other sciences.
It is common for aphorisms to be confused with sayings , proverbs , axioms , maxims and adages , among other types of expressions. In many cases, these words are used synonymously.

In fact, there are many people who come to confuse what is the aphorism with the axiom. However, it must be stated that they are different, they are not synonymous. Specifically, we can determine that, while the aphorism is the fruit or result of experience, the axiom is not. This is so clear and obvious a truth that no verification of it needs to be carried out.
The apothegm, which is the saying made by a famous person and characterized by being brief and direct, as well as the sentence, are also considered synonyms of the aphorism. This comes to indicate to a manifestation or decision that it has an opinion about a specific matter or question.
At a general level, it can be said that an aphorism arises from experience. That is why they are often used in areas where the scientific method is not applied. Over time , the aphorisms became a kind of literary genre or format, often with poetic intent .
There are those who maintain that the aphorisms resurfaced thanks to Twitter and other social networks that promote the publication of short texts. In this way, the number of people writing their thoughts in a few lines is multiplied .
An example of an aphorism is "What does not kill, strengthens" , which can also be found as "What does not kill you, strengthens you" or "What does not kill me, strengthens me" . This aphorism tries to convey a message of hope, highlighting the possibility of emerging stronger from a situation that causes harm.
Among the long list of existing aphorisms, there are some that have achieved great international fame thanks to the fact that they were expressed by famous people, such as writers or politicians. Specifically, among the most significant are the following:

- "Lost time is never found again" (Benjamin Franklin).

- "Doubt is one of the names of intelligence" (Jorge Luis Borges).

- “The future tortures us, the past chains us. This is why the present eludes us ”(Gustave Flaubert).

- "The truth is not on the side of who shouts the loudest" (Rabindranath Tagore).

- "The facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored" (T. Huxley).

- "The cruelest lies are told in silence" (Robert Louis Stevenson).

- "While the fools decide, the intelligent deliberate" (Plutarco).