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ANCIENT AND PATRISTIC PHILOSOPHY : Olga L. Lizzini ONOMASTIKON TERMINOLOGY BY OLGA LIZZINI (with many thanks to Marije Martijn). The terms here listed are amongst the most important used in Ancient and Patristic philosophy. Most of the terms are in Greek, some are in Latin (indicated by L). Only a few of them are in English (indicated by E). An English translation and a short explanation are provided.

ONOMASTIKON

UIL VAN MINERVA, VI VC

The aim of the list is to provide you with an explanation and translation of the principal terms mentioned, used and discussed during the course. Hence the list should also help you prepare for the exam. Some of the terms those in bold require not only passive but also active competence (you are asked not only to recognize and understand them when they are used in their philosophical context, but also to be able to use, explain and translate them).

Spelling of Greek terms: u>y f > ph kh > ch accents: > TERM a posteriori (L) a priori (L) aisthsis aitia (L: causa) akrasia
TRANSLATION/ EXPLANATION

altheia (L: truth) allegory (E) amethekton Analytica (L) (G analytika) anagg (eis Hen) anthropos andreia

derived from experience/ derived from the sensible world. prior to or indepedendent of experience (as opposed to a posteriori), therefore derived from and known through a purely mental process sensation cause (the term used by Aristotle for his four causes). weak will (according to those who think that some people sometimes, having deteremined what is better, are overcome by the desire for pleasure and fail to do what they believe to be the best. Socrates denies the possibility of akrasia (see Shields, A Contemporary Introduction..., pp. 47-53) truth A discourse, a story etc. that indicates something different from its literal meaning, thus indicating another truth or another level of truth unparticipated (see, e.g. Proclus theory of participation: the unparticipated cause, the participated cause, the participating effect ) logic (in Aristotle; see Prior and Posterior Analytics) reduction to the One, specifically of the soul. human being; man, as opposed to non-rational animal courage

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anamnesis (E) (G anamnsis) apatheia apeiron apodeixis apology (E) aporia memory- recollection (see Meno 82a-86c)

ONOMASTIKON

arch ([pl. archai; L: principium) aret astronomy/astrology ataraxia (L: tranquillitas) atoms (L: atomus) categories (E)

absence of emotions (because they have been rejected) infinite, unlimited, indefinite demonstration, in a proper sense (Aristotle and the Aristotelian tradition) discourse in defence (and therefore in favour) of someone (in a trial) difficulty (in a passage); lack; confusion, doubt and therefore: theoretical difficulty / philosophical problem which shows us we cannot accept a certain element of knowledge but which does not indicate the alternative principle / principal element / beginning / first original cause (principium L) virtue / excellence (as a functional and a moral element) the study of the stars (no real distinction between astronomy and astrology) imperturbability (L tranquillitas) atom / indivisible entity (Democritus, Leucippus, Epicurus) the ten modes of being and of predication in Aristotle and the Aristotelian (and Neoplatonic) tradition: substance, quality/ quantity / place / time / relation / action / passion / position / habitus (nine of them express accidental characteristicss and predications). The Categories (Categoriae) is also the title of Aristotles work in which these topics are dealt with. agent cause / it answers the question by what?/ it indicates the cause of movement and change (in Aristotle and the Aristotelian tradition; later, in the metaphysical tradition of Neoplatonism and Christianity, Islam and Judaism it also indicates the cause of being) final cause / it answers the question why? / for the sake of what? / It refers to the telos of the thing and therefore to its function formal cause / it answers the question what ? / it i s the main element of the definition of essence material cause / it answers the question from what? creation out of nothing: as opposed to the idea of origination from matter and/or as opposed to the idea of emanation time; a mobile image of Eternity in Timaeus, 37d and an image of eternity in Plotinus (Enn. I, V, 7); the measure of movement (metron kineseos) in Aristotles Physics (IV, 12); 'something I know if nobody asks me what it is, and that I dont know, if I wish to explain what it is' in Augustine (Confessions, IX, 14: What then

causa efficiens (L)

causa finalis (L) causa formalis (L) causa materialis (L) creatio ex nihilo (L) chronos

is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know.)
daimn daimonion dmiourgos (L: faber, creator) diairesis (dihairesis) divine entity / daemon, genius (L) guardian of life god / divine power demiurge and literally: artisan (from demios popular and ergon work, operation)/ the divine entity which gives order and shape to the world in the likely account (eiks logos) or likely story (eiks muthos) narrated by Timaeus in the Timaeus. division; the divsion of a concept into its components

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ONOMASTIKON
rational (dialectical) analysis subdivision, classification a method of seeking the truth, by analysing concepts through diairesis ; it implies a sort of dialogue (dialegesthai) (with oneself and/or others); Socrates uses the dialogue ; Plato ascribes to it the status of a scientific method (dialectic). discursive reason; discursive knowledge Specific difference; difference within the genus by virtue of which a new species is conceptually generated (for Aristotle see Met. Z, 12; Anal. Post., II, 3, 13; Topics, I, 16-18; for Porphyry, Isagoge III, VIII). fairness (L: iustitia) justice literally: opnion, therefore established opinion: doctrine, theory dismissed by Pyrrhonian skeptical thinkers literally: opinion - what people normally think or believe (as opposed to knowledge - episteme - and to truth - aletheia) systematic description (but sometimes with apologetic or polemical aims) of the doctrines of one's predecessors potency, potentiality, possibility (as opposed to energeia) power, divine power ; potentia (L) selection and combination of doctrines derived from different and even divergent sources the ultmate final cause of all motion in Aristotles Metaphysics (but see also Physics and cf. De caelo); it causes motion and therefore cannot be in movement, which also means that it is unmaterial) Literally a form that I can see and therefore idea in the Platonic sense: the paradigmatic and independently existent universal which is at the same time the real object and the guarantee of knowledge (see also idea); it can correspond to the form, the genus or kind, the species. It can be variously defined in keeping with the context in question: metaphysics, physics, psychology and logic. form = morph immanent form species being (in an existential sense as existence; in a predicational sense as being in such and such a way; in the sense related to logic: veridical: being true (remember the pollachos legetai to on in Aristotle: being is said in many ways) irony, feigned or fictitious ignorance; often the first step of the Socratic elenchos out of oneself, state of contact with the One who surpasses human rationality refutation of invalid positions by questioning and hence crossexamination act, actuality, realization; as opposed to dynamis (actus L); cf. Arist., Met., pure act is the First unmoved mover (Met., L, 7). realization, perfection (a possible synonym of energeia, especially as regards kinesis, that is, movement; in some passages the

dialectic (E) dialectica (L) dianoia differentia (L) diaphora dikaiosyn dik dogma doxa doxography (E) dynamis eclecticism (E) First unmoved mover (E) eidos (pl.: eid)

eidos eidos (L: species) einai

eironeia ekstasis

elenchos

energeia entelecheia

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ONOMASTIKON
meaning seems to be the perfection of energeia (Arist. De an., II, 1 and 2. (actus L) the being (one in Parmenides) knowledge, science, scientific knowledge; (scientia L) conversion; in Proclus (and in the philosophical tradition influenced by him) the process whereby lower realities return to the Principle; the last of the three theoretical and ontological moments which express the triadic process of causality (with mon and proodos). suspension (of judgement) by the Skeptics work, activity Love, desire the god of love and desire (amor, desiderium, cupiditas L); see especially Plat., Symposium and Phaedrus. Eros is an orientation, a desire; in that sense it also explains philosophy the philosophical study of morality. In the Aristotelian tradition a (practical) science which studies goodness, the right action and the question of the ends we ought to pursue. It is therefore the discipline or science which studies what allows the human being to be virtuous as regards both oneself and relationships with others happiness orientation in ethics according to which happiness (eudaimonia) is the aim of human life genus, kind most general genus a genus that is not a species of some higher genus being born, becoming, being, arising, being generated - generation knowledge, depending on the contexts: = epistm or a kind of knowledge implying the mystical / religious knowledge necessary for the salvation of the soul knower (see gnosis) Know yourself : a formula ascribed for the first time to Thales; Socrates tells us that it was an inscription on the temple dedicated to Apollo in Delphi. order in the cosmos; pleasure one, the One, the exalted above all unit, unity (henad) unification, unitive moment or, in Neoplatonism, unitive experience condition of the soul, disposition, character, attitude (Arist. Eth. Nic., II, VI, 15). The Stoics (from the Stoa poikile: the painted porch where the Stoics had their school) man measure, indicating Protagoras position according to which man is the measure of everything component part similar to the other components (in Aristotles interpretation of Anaxagoras doctrine according to which all things were together) matter Doctrine according to which everything is composed of (and therefore can be analyzed into) form (morph, corresponding to eidos) and matter (hyl)

(to) eon epistm epistroph

epoch ergon ers/Ers ethics (E)

eudaimonia (L: felicitas, beatitudo) eudaimonism (E) genos (L: genus ) genus generalissimum (L) gignesthai, genesis gnsis gnosticus (L) gnothi seauton harmonia hedon (L: voluptas) hen, to henas hensis hexis (L: habitus) hoi Stkoi homo mensura (L) homoiomer hyl hylemorphism (E)

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hyparxis hypokeimenon hypostasis idea illuminatio (L) intelligibilia (L) existence underlying substrate or substance (subject)

ONOMASTIKON

Isagg (Eisagoge)

kannika katalepsis kataleptik phantasia katharsis kenon kinsis (L: motus) koinai ennoiai kosmos kosmos notos lekta Logos

Existence, independent entity, nature, substance, reality paradigmatic and independently existent universal; at once the proper object and the guarantee of knowledge (see eidos) illumination the Ideas, realities that are accessible to the intellect; later in the Aristotelian tradition: concepts. In Boethius: realities that exist in matter but can be separated from it, like human souls ; realities that exist separate from matter are called by him intellectibilia (they are God, the angels and separated souls), whereas realities existent in matter are naturalia. Intellectibilia are the subject-matter of theology, intelligibilia are the subject-matter of psychology, naturalia are the subject-matter of physics. introduction (and therefore: the Introduction to the Categories by Aristotle, Porphyry's logical work used by the tradition as a general introduction to the Organon and included in the corpus of the Organon). doctrine of the guiding rules of knowledge (in Epicurus) conception, evident notion, understanding (Stoics) kataleptic and therefore evident cognitive representation purification (Pythagoras, Plato, Neoplatonism) void movement, change common notions (Stoicism) beautiful, ordered world intelligible world things (that can be) said; intangible meanings of linguistic expressions; un or non-material entities (Stoicism) in general: language, the action of speaking, discourse, phrase, statement, story, definition, argument, reason, ratio, etc. ratio, reason, explanation, statement, inner law of the universe (in Heraclitus) assertion, argument reason, definition discourse, disputation reason, divine ratio in everything expression of nous (or dianoia), discursive argument of or pertaining to the art and skill of the midwife; therefore the Socratic method of enquiry by which the knowledge that a person already has is brought out (see Platos Meno) scientific doctrines, apprehended by reason (vs. akusmata: doctrines apprehended by listening to the master; Pythagorism highest kinds, in the Platonic tradition (cf. supra the genus generalissimum of the Aristotelian tradition) middle term of the syllogism right middle as far as ethical (or emotional) elements are concerned: in Aristotle, virtue is the right middle metaphysics : what is (and therefore the doctrines and books which are) after or beyond physics (or nature); first philosophy , the science of being qua being / the science of the principles of being(s); the Latin term derives from the medieval Latin

maieutic (E) mathmata megista gen meson meson, mesots metaphysica (L) (ta meta ta physika)

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ONOMASTIKON
transalations of Aristotles works participation (in Ideas) imitation (of Ideas) modes (of the syllogism) standard skeptical arguments developed in order to demonstrate the impossibility of following one doctrine instead of another (cf. isostheneia) if p, then q; but p; therefore q (one of the five basic forms of Stoic logic) staying, permanence, the being and remaining of the entity which is a cause in itself as identical to itself (see epistrofe and proodos). philosophical position according to which the substantial principle or element of reality is one / position according to which reality can be reduced to a fundamental unity form story in which divine entities often play a decisive role; before philosophy and in opposition to it : non-rational explanation of the world, its origin, its components. In the Greek nonphilosophical culture: the narration of a true story or a true explanation of a natural or psychological phenomenon or a historical fact. From the philosophical point of view: a fictitious non-rational explanation. In Platos dialogues a story narrated within the dialogue with an explanatory role (accessible to nonphilosophers, requiring an interpretation, a special understanding from the reader, and with a hypothetical and plausible character, etc.). hate principle normally conceived in opposition to the idea of creatio ex nihilo (although the idea of creation itself posits the divine at the origin of things); it establishes the idea that there is no possible passage from non-being (absolute nothing) to being: every origination is thus a passage or transition from a form or kind of being to another form or kind of being intellection of the intellection - act of the divine intellect of the First unmoved mover in Aristotle intelligible things; things that are accessible to the intellect (or mind or reason) and not to the senses. convention, use (as opposed to physis) In general: mind, intellect (whether human or divine); intuitive mental faculty (as opposed to dianoia) list of terms - lexicon instrument, tool; the later collection of Aristotle's logical writings (which also came to include Rhetoric, Poetics and Porphyrys Isagoge) substance, being, essence (what corresponds to the definition of the thing) everything flows and nothing remains (later attributed to Heraclitus but not one of the extant Heraclitus fragments) affection, emotion, illness limit/unlimited, infinite, indefinite colonnade in Athens, where Aristotle would walk about while teaching hence denomination of the school of Aristotle (peripatoi) Aristotelians phenomena; realities (and reality) as they appear

methexis mimsis modi (L) modi (L) modus ponens (L) mon monism (E) morph mythos

neikos nothing out of nothing (E)

nosis noses nota nomos nous onomastikon organon ousia panta rhei kai ouden menei pathos peras/apeiron peripatos peripateticians (E) phainomena (pl.)

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phainomenon phantasia philia, philots what appears to us imagination

ONOMASTIKON

love friendship philosophia love of and desire for wisdom; term probably used for the first time by Pythagoras; properly used by Socrates philosophos a person who loves and desires knowledge / wisdom and strives to attain it phronsis practical insight, understanding, prudence (one of Plato's cardinal virtues) physis nature (in every sense: also character, property, order, power) nature (as opposed to nomos) physica (physics E) the science of nature and of bodies in so far as they are in movement and at rest (in Aristotle) pistis belief; a kind of non-scientific knowledge related to opinion (see Rep. VI, 511e, VII, 534a and particularly Platos allegory of the line ) pluralism (E) philosophical position according to which reality enatils a plurality of elements or substances pneuma breath vital heat vital causal principle polis city, political society politeia participation in the life of the State; ruling form somewhere between oligarchy and democracy; Greek name of Platos Republic politik aret political virtue; civic virtue pollachs legomena terms with more than one meaning pragmata things prima materia (L) first absolutely undetermined matter (without any property) (in Greek: prt hyl) principle of nonfundamental Aristotelian logical principle which establishes that contradiction (E) something cannot be at the same time and in the same respect a and non-a; related principles are : 1. the principle of identity (A = A : a more fundamental principle which establishes that in order to be properly an object of knowledge something must be what it is (with the properties it has) at least in so far as it is an object of knowledge. 2. The principle of the excluded middle. principle of the excluded principle that establishes that something must be either a or nonmiddle (E) a prolpsis preconception, anticipation (of knowledge) proodos (= prohodos) the procession, emanation or necessary derivation of inferior realities from the cause (the One); the second, properly causal moment, of the triadic emanative process in Proclus psych soul as source and principle of life regressus ad infinitum infinite regression; form of argumentation which shows that a (L) series of elements goes on without any end schmata figures (of the syllogism) sensus communis (L) general, common sense of perception skepsis research, enquiry Socratic ignorance (or the fact that he knows that he does not know makes Socrates the knowledge) wisest man in Athens, according to the oracle in Delphi (see Platos Apology) sizein ta phainomena saving appearances: that is to say, finding a philosophical explanation that does not imply that reality as it appears is

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ONOMASTIKON
something we cannot know (and/or has no real being) theoretical wisdom; philosophy (in Aristotle also metaphysics); the exact meaning changes according to the context expert, intellectual, professional teacher of rhetoric (in Plato with a negative connotation) wise (person) temperance, which is one of the cardinal virtues (Rep. IX, 591c-d)

sophia sophists sophos sophrosyn spermatikos logos

divine reason or principle which generates things; the divine animating principle which pervade the universe sphairos the world as a sphere (in Empledocles; cf. Parmenides sphaira) stersis (L: privatio) privation, absence or lack of form (eidos/morphe) stoicheia elements and therefore the primary elements: water, air, earth and fire (Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, but the theory derives most probably from Ancient Egyptian culture; Empedocles calls the elements: rizomata: roots). Philosophers and scientists used the concept of the four elements till the 18th century. Stoa Poikil painted colonnade or porch (where the Stoics had their school) sublunary (E) under the moon, the region under the moon, where the four elements are to be found, as opposed to supralunary supralunary (E) above the moon, the region above the moon, where alone (and only) ether is to be found syllogismos formal (valid) reasoning including three propositions composed of subject and predicate with two distinct terms and a common middle term (which can have the function of a subject or of a predicate) symbebkos (accidens L) accident, accidental (non-essential) property; see Arist. Met. D., 30 techn (L: ars ) skill, art, craft teleology (E) an explanation or vision of things in terms of the final cause telos aim of life (ethics) aim, final end (theory of causality, physics and metaphysics) theologike episteme; the science of God and the divine principles; metaphysics (later in theology (E) the Aristotelian tradition: metaphysica specialis as opposed to metaphysica generalis, the science of being qua being) theria (L: contemplatio) (explanation of a) doctrine contemplation, highest intellectual activity (the literal meaning is related to what is actually seen rather than to what is seen by the mind's eye) theos (ho theos) God, the god; cf. to theion the divine (various meanings according to the context: monism, pluralism, materialism; think, e.g., of Epicurus, who does not deny the existence of the gods but only their importance for human life) theurgy (E) late-Neoplatonic rituals carried out in order to promote unification or union with the divine world; literally: action or operation with and according to the divine to m on what is not (what does not exist, what is not true) to on being (= to eon in Parmenides)