The quality or state of being given; in philosophy, the assumed foundation or starting point that is simply accepted without proof.
English: from 'given' (past participle of give) plus -ness (suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives); philosophical term emphasizing what is accepted as foundational.
Philosophers love 'givenness' because it captures something deep: there are always things we can't question—like the existence of our own thoughts—these are 'givens' we must build from, not prove.
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