Hylics
Encyclopedia
In modern usage "hylic" refers to anything that is slanted toward the thought of any illusory concept, or that which gives an unbalanced view of life. It does not just refer to things slanted toward materialistic pursuits but to anything that is out of order with the rhythm of nature. Nature, in this context, refers to anything that is in harmony with the Divine Law, the Living Word. It is the One Law of the Cosmos and covers all bases Spiritually, Mentally and Physically.
Modern usage also defines matter as not necessarily being that which is seen, felt or tasted. Quantum Physics defines matter much differently than did Newton or the old Gnostics, So hylic would not fit into the old Gnostic ideas in this modern age.
Hylic (from Greek (hylē) "matter") is the opposite of psychic (from Greek (psychē) "soul").
In the gnostic view, hylics, also called Somatics (from Gk (sōma) "body"), were the lowest order of the three types of human
. The other two were the psychics and the pneumatics
(from Gk (pneuma) "spirit, breath"). So humanity comprised matter-bound beings, matter-dwelling spirits and the matter-free or immaterial, souls.
Somatics were deemed completely bound to matter. Matter, the material world, was seen as "evil" in the gnostic world view. The material world was created by a demiurge
, in some instances a blind, mad God, in others an army of rebellious angel
s as a trap for the spiritual Ennoia. The duty of (spiritual) man was to escape the material world by the aid of the hidden knowledge (gnosis).
Somatics were human in form, but since their entire focus was on the material world, such as eating, sleeping, mating, creature comforts, they were seen as doomed. The pneumatic saw himself as escaping the doom of the material world via the secret knowledge. Somatics were thought to be incapable of understanding.
For consideration of these dynamics see for example, The Gospel of Judas
, believed to be a gnostic text, where Jesus is posited as a Pneumatic and the other disciples, non-gnostics, as Somatics.
Modern usage also defines matter as not necessarily being that which is seen, felt or tasted. Quantum Physics defines matter much differently than did Newton or the old Gnostics, So hylic would not fit into the old Gnostic ideas in this modern age.
Hylic (from Greek (hylē) "matter") is the opposite of psychic (from Greek (psychē) "soul").
In the gnostic view, hylics, also called Somatics (from Gk (sōma) "body"), were the lowest order of the three types of human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
. The other two were the psychics and the pneumatics
Pneumatic (Gnosticism)
The pneumatics were, in gnosticism, the highest order of humans, the other two orders being psychics and hylics. The pneumatic saw himself as escaping the doom of the material world via the secret knowledge. Outsiders could only know these secrets by joining a gnostic group...
(from Gk (pneuma) "spirit, breath"). So humanity comprised matter-bound beings, matter-dwelling spirits and the matter-free or immaterial, souls.
Somatics were deemed completely bound to matter. Matter, the material world, was seen as "evil" in the gnostic world view. The material world was created by a demiurge
Demiurge
The demiurge is a concept from the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy for an artisan-like figure responsible for the fashioning and maintenance of the physical universe. The term was subsequently adopted by the Gnostics...
, in some instances a blind, mad God, in others an army of rebellious angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s as a trap for the spiritual Ennoia. The duty of (spiritual) man was to escape the material world by the aid of the hidden knowledge (gnosis).
Somatics were human in form, but since their entire focus was on the material world, such as eating, sleeping, mating, creature comforts, they were seen as doomed. The pneumatic saw himself as escaping the doom of the material world via the secret knowledge. Somatics were thought to be incapable of understanding.
For consideration of these dynamics see for example, The Gospel of Judas
Gospel of Judas
The Gospel of Judas is a Gnostic gospel that purportedly documents conversations between the Disciple Judas Iscariot and Jesus Christ.It is believed to have been written by Gnostic followers of Jesus, rather than by Judas himself, and probably dates from no earlier than the 2nd century, since it...
, believed to be a gnostic text, where Jesus is posited as a Pneumatic and the other disciples, non-gnostics, as Somatics.