From the book
Stobaeus, Volume I
John Stobaeus · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordSynkrisis is a bringing together or combination.
- In StobaeusThe survey groups several philosophers as explaining worlds through combinations and separations rather than generation and destruction strictly understood.
- In this edition“Combination” is broad; “aggregation” emphasizes the gathering of parts.
- A place to beginAggregation explains apparent generation without qualitative alteration of constituents.
- English renderings
- combination; aggregation
Meaning
Synkrisis is a bringing together or combination. In physical accounts it can explain apparent generation through persistent constituents.
Use in the book
The survey groups several philosophers as explaining worlds through combinations and separations rather than generation and destruction strictly understood. The contrast concerns quantitative gathering versus qualitative alteration. It does not imply that Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Democritus, and Epicurus all posit the same kinds of constituents.
Places to read
- I.20.1d.1Aggregation explains apparent generation without qualitative alteration of constituents.
Translation in this edition
“Combination” is broad; “aggregation” emphasizes the gathering of parts.
Source note
Wachsmuth, volume I, printed pp. 170. The source says finely divided bodies; it does not call every listed thinker an atomist.