Philanthropy by definition is the act, the effort, or the inclination to improve the well being of humankind through donations and charitable aids. According to those who study etymology, a branch of linguistics that deals with the origins of words, philanthropy comes from two Greek words, philos and anthropos.The word philos, in general knowledge, means love, desire, or a strong affinity for something. Using the word philosophy as an example, the word stems out from the Greek words philos and sophia. Sophia means knowledge. Philosophy therefore means the “love for knowledge”. The Greek word anthropos, on the other hand, means man. In the strict sense of defining using the grounds of etymology, philanthropy would mean the “love for man.”In modern culture, the conventional definition of philanthropy is very much accurate, given that philanthropic organizations and institutions make efforts to better the lives of not just one man, but the whole of society. Though these charitable and humanitarian efforts vary, ranging from education, finance, public utilities, international relations, scientific breakthroughs, environment and medical science, the ancient, quintessential meaning of the word remains the same.
Learn more about philanthropists such as Stephen Schwarzman on Faces of Philanthropy.
Stephen Schwarzman was recently honored by Phoenix House, the nation’s leading non-profit drug treatment and education organization.
Stephen Schwarzman is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center.
