5/20/2015

PassiveintellectWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Passiveintellect
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Thepassiveintellect,alsoknownasthepotentialintellectorthematerialintellect,isatermused
inphilosophyalongsidethenotionoftheactiveintellectinordertogiveanaccountoftheoperationofthe
intellect(nous),inaccordancewiththetheoryofhylomorphism,asmostfamouslyputforwardbyAristotle.
Contents[hide]
1Aristotle
2Interpretations
3References
4Seealso
5Externallinks

Aristotle

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Aristotlegiveshismostsubstantialaccountofthepassiveintellect(nouspathetikos)inDeAnima(Onthe
Soul),BookIII,chapter4.InAristotle'sphilosophyofmind,thepassiveintellect"iswhatitisbybecoming
allthings."[1]BythisAristotlemeansthatthepassiveintellectcanpotentiallybecomeanythingbyreceiving
thatthing'sintelligibleform.Theactiveintellect(nouspoietikos)isthenrequiredtoilluminatethepassive
intellecttomakethepotentialknowledgeintoknowledgeinact,inthesamewaythatlightmakespotential
colorsintoactualcolors.Theanalysisofthisdistinctionisverybrief,whichhasledtodisputeastowhatit
means.

Interpretations

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Greekthought
WhileGreekcommentatorssuchasAlexanderofAphrodisiasandThemistiuswerebroadlysilentonthe
activeintellect(debateoverthiswouldonlybecomeheatedinthethirteenthcenturyChristianWestinthe
contextofdebatesoverwhetherAvicennaorAverroesprovidedtheaccountoftheworkingoftheintellect
thatbestcoheredwithChristiandoctrine),theyprovidedagreatdealofcommentaryonthenatureofthe
passiveintellect.ForAlexanderofAphrodisias,forinstance,(whocoinedthetermofthe'materialintellect'
forthispower,anamelatertakenupbyAverroes),thepassiveintellectwasaseparateintellectfromthe
active.
AverroesandAquinas
Laterphilosophers,includingAverroesandSt.ThomasAquinas,proposedmutuallyexclusive
interpretationsofAristotle'sdistinctionbetweentheactiveandpassiveintellect.Othertermsusedare
"materialintellect"and"potentialintellect",thepointbeingthattheactiveintellectworksonthepassive
intellecttoproduceknowledge(acquiredintellect),inthesamewaythatactualityworksonpotentialityor
formonmatter.
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PassiveintellectWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Averroesheldthatthepassiveintellect,beinganalogoustounformedmatter,isasinglesubstance
commontoallminds,andthatthedifferencesbetweenindividualmindsarerootedintheirphantasmsas
theproductofthedifferencesinthehistoryoftheirsenseperceptions.Aquinasarguesagainstthisposition
intheDisputedQuestionsontheSoul(QuaestionesdisputataedeAnima),andassertsthatwhilethe
passiveintellectisonespecifically,numericallyitismany,aseachindividualpersonhastheirownpassive
intellect.

References

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1. ^Aristotle,DeAnima,Bk.III,ch.5(430a 1025).

CommentariummagnuminAristotelisDeanimalibros,ed.Crawford,Cambridge(Mass.)1953:Latin
translationofAverroes'longcommentaryontheDeAnima
Averroes(tr.AlaindeLibera),L'intelligenceetlapense,Paris1998:FrenchtranslationofAverroes'
longcommentaryonbook3oftheDeAnima

Seealso

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