In case you missed it… OED Word of the Day: hegemonicon, n. https://t.co/4cqZcBlTgJ
— The OED (@OED) August 5, 2014
@OED #WOTD hegemonicon: espoused to Hubris as the downfall of humanity. https://t.co/b96FZX64ES
— Tory S. Anderson (@WorldsEndless) August 5, 2014
The word derives from the same roots as “hegemony.” Defined as “A ruling or governing power; spec. human reason. Also: the supreme power in the universe,” it appears in such contexts as:
1848 J. H. Newman Loss & Gain v. 177 Spirit, or the principle of religious faith or obedience, should be the master principle, the hegemonicon.
I rather like that usage. Instead, though, it partners with hubris more often to refer to the governing power being man’s power of reason.
1904 Amer. Jrnl. Psychol. 15 163 Reason or the hegemonicon is the governing power.
1978 G. B. Kerferd in J. M. Rist Stoics v. 132 Truth is corporeal since it is..a particular state of the corporeal Hēgemonikon—that is to say, Reason or Logos as the authoritative part of the human soul.