Note 1: Zabarella is here referring to a section in his own commentary where he discusses the opening lines of De Anima III.5 (430a10ff.) where Aristotle writes, Ἐπεὶ δ’ [ὥσπερ] ἐν ἁπάσῃ τῇ φύσει ἐστὶ [τι] τὸ μὲν ὕλη (10) ἑκάστῳ γένει (τοῦτο δὲ ὃ πάντα δυνάμει ἐκεῖνα), ἕτερον δὲ τὸ αἴτιον καὶ ποιητικόν, τῷ ποιεῖν πάντα, οἷον ἡ […]
Main topics covered: the activity of the agent intellect, the role of the passive intellect in relation to the agent intellect, Simplicius’ account of the role of the agent intellect in relation to the passive intellect, refutation of Simplicius’ view, refutation of Jean of Jandun’s view, the analogy between sight and understanding, the Aristotelian theory […]
Main topics covered: Aristotle’s theory of vision, intromission and extromission theories of vision, the relationship between perception and the intellect, the signification of the term “habitus”/hexis, hexis in relation to ethics, the relationship between the intellect as a hexis as a “maker” and as a “form,” efficient causality and the intellect, Aquinas and species as […]
Chapter 2: Various Opinions Concerning the Activities Proper to the Actualizing Intellect CERTUM est officium mentis agentis esse agere, hoc est trahere de potestate ad actum, sed in quodnam agere dicatur, & quomodo, obscurissima res est, & maxime controversa: alii namque dicunt ipsam agere in phantasmata, non in mentem patibilem; alii in mentem patibilem; alii […]
Main Topics Covered: the intellect and its relationship to images, forms and images, De Anima III.7, outline of primary theses covered in Averroes account of the Intellect with textual references, the influence of Themistius upon Averroes Note 1: It might be wondered whether a broader term than “images” should be required here. After all, the […]
Harold Cherniss’ “The Philosophical Economy of the Theory of Ideas”: Summary and Comments Pdf of Cherniss’ article available here: http://uwch-4.humanities.washington.edu/Texts/CHERNISS/Cherniss%20Philosophical%20Economy%20of%20the%20Theory%20of%20Ideas.pdf Key terms: A Priori, Recollection Argument, Eristic Argument, Hypothesis, Early Dialogues, Middle Dialogues, Fifth Century, Theory of Forms Topics: The hypothetical method as leading to the theory of forms (the intellectual genesis of the […]
Lakeside Pondering Whither this sport-utility realism, This preparing-to-be-there, Amid reticence and lassitude, Against a child’s fortitude? Is this not sheer resolution? And where do these preparations end? However duty-bound they be, Does this road lead Where they might be free? “Nonsense” Behold these delights: A fox running in the snow And geese taking flight, Some […]