Hierocles and the Stoic Theory of Blending

Abstract

In Stoic physics, blending (κρᾶσις) is the relation between active pneuma and passive matter; natural bodies from rocks and logs to plants, animals and the cosmos itself are blends of pneuma and matter. Blending structures the Stoic cosmos. I develop a new interpretation of the Stoic theory of blending, based on passages from Hierocles. The theory of blending, I argue, has been misunderstood. Hierocles allows us to see in detail how the theory is supposed to work and how it fits into Stoic physics.

Colocation and the Stoic Definition of Blending

“…Alexander reports that for the Stoics, blending bodies are supposed to retain their own surfaces (12)(13)(14)(15)(16), and he takes it that upholding this will mean that Stoic blending is juxtaposition of parts to parts . On this, see also Helle 2018;Helle 2021, 204-6. 47 This is in fact the kind of story Hierocles seems to give us in Elements of body passing through body in blending is treated as involving causal affection, which lends further credence to this interpretation.…”

“…It also gives us further reason to seek a different interpretation of Stoic blending. I have defended such an interpretation (Helle 2018(Helle , 2021; see also Section 4 above), according to which blending is to be understood in terms of causal interaction and qualitative modification, and which at least provides a schema for how pneuma-matter blending could help explain the composition of unified bodies. But whether or not this particular account is accepted, interpretations that assign pride of place to strict colocation seem ill-equipped even to attempt the task at issue.…”

“…3-4 provide good evidence that he is. One such parallel -that blending in each case is said to involve παράθεσις δι᾿ ὅλων -is highlighted in Section 4 below; for further details seeHelle 2018.…”

Self-Causation and Unity in Stoicism

“…On the interpretation of the Stoic theory of blending that I have defended elsewhere (Helle 2018), blending requires (i) that the ingredients be preserved (σώζεσθαι), 75 and (ii) that they coextend whole through whole (ἀντιπαρεκτείνεσθαι δι ᾿ ὅλων ὅλα), which in turn involves (iia) that the ingredients be juxtaposed whole through whole (παράθεσις δι' ὅλων), and (iib) that no part of 74 De Mix. 21.5-7: καὶ κατὰ τί εἶδος κινήσεως γίνεται; Κατ᾿ οὐδὲν γὰρ οἷόν τ᾿ ἐστὶ νοῆσαί τι ἅμα εἰς τὰ ἐναντία κινούμενον καθ᾿ αὑτό.…”