From the book
Stobaeus, Volume I
John Stobaeus · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordEpinoia concerns conceiving or considering something in thought.
- In StobaeusPosidonius’s account says that substance and matter differ in conception alone while being the same in underlying reality.
- In this edition“In conception” preserves the contrast with hypostasis.
- A place to beginSubstance and matter differ conceptually while sharing underlying reality.
- English renderings
- conception; conceptual consideration
Meaning
Epinoia concerns conceiving or considering something in thought. A distinction in conception need not be a separation into two independently existing things.
Use in the book
Posidonius’s account says that substance and matter differ in conception alone while being the same in underlying reality. Matter is considered without a determinate quality of its own, though it always occurs with some shape and quality. The conceptual distinction is therefore not a claim that wholly unqualified matter appears separately in experience.
Places to read
- I.11.5cSubstance and matter differ conceptually while sharing underlying reality.
Translation in this edition
“In conception” preserves the contrast with hypostasis. “Imaginary” would wrongly suggest that the distinction is simply false.
Source note
Wachsmuth, volume I, printed pp. 133. “The same” is supplied in the base edition; the surrounding contrast explicitly opposes conception to underlying reality.