Idol: Encyclopedia - Idol

Idol

The term idol originates from the Greek eidolon: Something visible but without substance, a hollow form. It derives from Greek eid-, videre, to see, and is also related to eidos, a figure and eidea, an idea or imagination.

Idol is used in various contexts:

• In religion, idols are man-made worshipped articles; their worship is called idolatry, the worship of hollow forms. The term was used by the Jewish historian Josephus. In the New Testament it is used to refer to heathen gods and their images and only found in Luke-Acts and certain Pauline epistles.

• In philosophy, Aristotle used the term as the idols in the water: as reflections or shadows. In Plato it can also mean shades or apparitions or copies; indeed, even inhabitants of the underworld are called eidola, distinctly as copies of real living beings. Francis Bacon introduced the term idol to describe various obstacles humans face when trying to truly understand nature. Friedrich Nietzsche in Twilight of the Idols sees idols as abstract unchanging philosophical concepts that need to be swept away to allow for true life to emerge.

• The English expression to idolize persons, objects or qualities is to hold them in very high regard: "I idolize your work", "I idolize him because...".

• Popular celebrities are commonly called idols, especially when "worshipped" by teenagers. See teen idol.

• Pop Idol and American Idol are television series that give formerly unknown persons an opportunity to become stars.

• In Japan, idols are highly promoted singing and acting artists whose posings draw large fan audiences, satisfied by numerous merchandise items; see Japanese idol.

• Billy Idol, a rock star.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Idol", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki