The structural and functional composition of the idea is determined and the mechanism for the emergence of a new entity from the meaning of the latter is outlined. The ideas were divided into scientific, technical, moral and aesthetic. The reason and role of the emergence of an intellectual feeling of pleasure in the process of both creating an idea and contemplating a work of art is outlined. The rationale for human existence is given as the emergence in his consciousness of intellectual novelty in the form of an idea. A three-event methodology for the emergence of novelty in society is outlined. The role of man as a tool at hand in society is shown. Based on the consideration of the texts of Heraclitus and Heidegger, an idea of the “first beginning” of ancient Greek thinking is given. Based on the understanding of an idea as a “dissipative structure” (I. Prigogine), an analogy of being with a thermodynamic process is proposed. The issue of both the Existence of society and the existence of man is considered. It is shown what exactly they are and how the relationship between them is realized.