gignomenon

Noun

gignomenon (plural gignomena)

1. "Becoming," as opposed to "Being"; a phenomenon considered as occurrence rather than appearance.
   • In his epistemological "reduction" or classification of the gignomena Ziehen really occupies the Humean standpoint, since he divides them into sensational and ideational gignomena which differ from each other merely in degrees of vividness.1916 July 15, L. R. Geissler, “Special Reviews: Die Grundlagen der Psychologie, T. Ziehen, Leipzig: Teubner, 1915”, in Psychological Bulletin, volume 13, number 7, page 286
   • That which we name variously our "self," or "personality," or "individuality," or "soul," is just a phenomenon, or gignomenon, like another.1931, Paul Elmer More, The Catholic Faith, Princeton University Press, page 13
2. By extension, that which is ephemeral or inessential.
   • Without [a belief in the higher unity of truth] are we not committed to the assumption that literature has nothing to do with truth, that it is only illusion, froth on the historical current, the Platonic gignomenon?1953, Allen Tate, “Is Literary Criticism Possible?”, in The Forlorn Demon, Chicago: Regnery, page 106