Hellenistic Philosophy Introductory

Glossary 403
in another sense it is what makes no difference at all in ethics, absolute indif-
ference.
individual quality (idios poion): the particular quality which makes an individ-
ual thing exactly what is; thus Socrates is Socrates in virtue of his individual
quality, but is a man in virtue of his common quality.
infinite (apeiron): having no limit; also translated 'unlimited'.
intellect (dianoia): cognitive activity which is not limited to the activities of
one or more of the five senses; the faculty which governs this activity.
intercosmos (metakosmion): in Epicureanism, the spaces between the various
cosmoi in the universe.
internal (endiathetos): in Stoicism, internal reason is the (capacity for) thought
or mental discourse. Opposite: verbalized reason, i.e., speech.
investigate, investigation (zeteo, zetesis): inquiry into something non-
evident.
joy (chara): In Stoicism this is the rational and morally correct form of pleasure
which only the wise man can have.
judge (krinein): also, decide; to arrive at a conclusion or a belief by means of
a criterion; the Sceptics believe that there is no criterion on the basis of which
one is justified in judging one way or another in non-evident matters. Hence,
discern (epikrino); discern between diakrinein; indiscernible (adiakritos). Also,
prefer (prokrino): in Pyrrhonian scepticism, to give credence to one side of an
opposition over the other.
knowledge (episteme): a cognitive state which cannot be false and which does
not change.
lack of self-control (akrasia): the inability to control desires deemed undesir-
able or irrational.
leading part of the soul (hegemonikon): in Stoicism, the dominant and control-
ling part of the soul. In an adult human it is totally rational. All the other parts
and functions of the soul operate as ancillary to the leading part of the soul. It
is almost the equivalent of the term 'mind' (nous).
living and breathing (empnous): endowed with soul and breath (pneuma).
mode (tropos): in scepticism, a dialectical move, or type of argument.
moral choice (prohairesis): in the work of the Stoic Epictetus, moral choice
is something more than a decision. It is the moral personality of the agent,
virtually the same thing as the leading part of the soul (hegemonikon). [moral]
mistake, [moral] error (hamartema): Stoic term for a disposition to act other than
according to reason, or the action itself. All actions, except those of wise men,
were held by the Stoics to be moral errors.
[moral] progress (prokope): in Stoic ethics, development towards a fully ratio-
nal and virtuous life; someone making moral progress is still considered to
be vicious.
[morally] perfect action (katorthoma): an appropriate action which is perfect
and (by definition) guaranteed to be correct. Only the virtuous wise man can
perform such an action, and all of his actions are like this.
natural things (ta kata phusin): things which promote or preserve the basic
nature of an organism.