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Orexis

The striving impulse or inclination of the will that arises from rational judgments.

Orexis denotes the desire or active inclination of the mind to pursue or avoid something. Unlike a mere phantasia or a passion, orexis is closely bound to conscious assent — it arises from the judgment of the hegemonikon. The Stoics distinguish between natural striving impulses and those rooted in false judgments. Under the governance of the hegemonikon, orexis becomes an instrument of virtue.