Genus (philosophy)

In philosophy, the term "genus" refers to a category or class that groups together entities sharing common characteristics. It is a foundational concept in various philosophical contexts, notably Aristotle's work. In his classification system, Aristotle used "genus" to describe broader categories that encompass multiple specific instances or "species." For example, in the genus-species distinction, "animal" can be considered a genus, while "dog" and "cat" would be considered species within that genus.