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    Alexander of Aphrodisias identified the agent intellect w... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→The agent intellect can be identified with God as the universal principle of intelligibility.

    Alexander of Aphrodisias identified the agent intellect with the Aristotelian unmoved mover, but this entails a god with no providential relation to individual human cognizers.

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    Reasons For

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    • 1.Aristotle's unmoved mover causes motion only through being desired, not through intentional action toward particulars.
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    • 2.If the agent intellect were providentially concerned with individuals, it would require deliberation about particulars, contradicting its eternal immutability.
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    • 3.Alexander's interpretation preserves the unmoved mover's transcendence while explaining human intellection through impersonal emanation.
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    Reasons Against

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    • 1.Alexander himself claims the agent intellect illuminates individual human minds, suggesting some form of relational engagement with particulars.
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    • 2.Lack of providence need not follow from identification with the unmoved mover; mediated causation through intelligible forms could preserve both transcendence and relevance.
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    • 3.The premise conflates metaphysical transcendence with causal indifference—a perfect intellect might relate to all minds without losing immutability.
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    Natural Theology1 linkedDivine Attributes1 linked

    Related

    Alexander himself claims the agent intellect illuminates individual human minds,...Alexander's interpretation preserves the unmoved mover's transcendence while exp...Aristotle's unmoved mover causes motion only through being desired, not through ...If the agent intellect were providentially concerned with individuals, it would ...
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    Lack of providence need not follow from identification with the unmoved mover; m...The agent intellect can be identified with God as the universal principle of int...The premise conflates metaphysical transcendence with causal indifference—a perf...

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    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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