aphorism

A Greek word derived from the Latin term aphorismus, which in turn came to Castilian as aphorism. An aphorism is a short length expression that, in a certain context, presents itself as a principle or a rule.

The aphorisms, therefore, are propositions who seek to pronounce something coherently and concisely. The notion was proposed by Hippocrates regarding the sentences that were used to name the symptoms of the diseases and to diagnose them. From this use, the idea spread to other sciences.

It is common for aphorisms to be confused with sayings, the proverbs, the axioms, the maxims and the adages, among other types of expressions. In many cases, these words are used synonymously.

Indeed, 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 such a clear and obvious 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 short and direct, as well as the sentence, are also considered synonymous with 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. With the weather, aphorisms became a kind of genre or literary format, often with poetic intention.

Some argue that the aphorisms resurfaced thanks to Twitter and to other social networks that promote the publication of short texts. In this way, the amount of people writing your thoughts in a few lines.

A example of 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, makes me stronger". 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 most" (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 foolish decide, the intelligent deliberate" (Plutarch).