Late 17th century; earliest use found in Theophilus Gale (1628–1679), ejected minister and theologian. From post-classical Latin philosophema demonstrative syllogism from ancient Greek ϕιλοσόϕημα a demonstrative syllogism (Aristotle), in Hellenistic Greek also philosophical doctrine or principle from ϕιλοσοϕεῖν to love or pursue knowledge, philosophize (from ϕιλόσοϕος) + -μα.