enství

Enství is a Czech term used in philosophy and theology to refer to the essential nature or core being of an entity. It denotes what makes something what it is, beyond its changing or contingent attributes, and is often linked to the concept of essence in Western thought.

In philosophical usage, enství is typically contrasted with existence and with collections of related properties. Enství denotes intrinsic, defining features that are necessary for the identity of a thing, while existence simply remarks that the thing is present in reality. The term is sometimes treated as synonymous with podstata (essence), though some writers distinguish enství as the ontological “whatness” that underlies empirical properties.

Historically, enství appears in Czech-language discussions influenced by scholastic categories and later by phenomenology and analytic philosophy. It is used to analyze questions about universals, essential properties, and the conditions that fix a thing’s identity. In this sense, enství serves as a bridge between metaphysical inquiry and linguistic or conceptual analysis of how we describe or think about beings.

Beyond strictly philosophical contexts, enství is also found in spiritual or mystic writings in which it can denote a state of being or a sense of oneness with reality. In such usage, the term may point to a perceived immediacy of presence or a nondual sense of being.

See also: podstata, bytí, existence, esence.