| 释义 |
pre-eˈxistence
Also 7 præ-.
[f. pre- A. 2 + existence; cf. F. préexistence (17–18th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).]
Previous existence; esp. of the soul before its union with the body.
a1652J. Smith Sel. Disc. iv. 91 Mere matter could never thus stretch forth its feeble force, and spread itself over all its own former pre-existences. 1662Glanvill (title) Lux Orientalis, or An Enquiry into the Opinion of the Eastern Sages, concerning the Præexistence of Souls. 1794Sullivan View Nat. II. 107 The proofs of the antiquity and the pre⁓existence of nations. 1860Pusey Min. Proph. 332 It expresses præexistence, an eternal Existence, backwards as well as forwards, the incommunicable attribute of God.
Hence pre-eˈxistencist, one who believes in the pre-existence of the soul.
1883Chambers' Encycl. VII. 744/2 The followers of this opinion were termed Pre-existencists, to distinguish them from the Traducianists, who held that children received soul as well as body from their parents. |