Aquinas, following Aristotle, argues that even the intellect's receptivity (intellectus possibilis) is ontologically prior to and separable from its productive activity (intellectus agens).

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Aquinas: Thomas Aquinas was a medieval Italian priest and philosopher (1225-1274) who became one of the most influential thinkers in Western history. He attempted to show that Christian faith and human reason are compatible, arguing that we can use logic and observation to understand God and the natural world. His ideas deeply shaped Catholic theology and continue to influence how religious and secular institutions think about ethics, knowledge, and the relationship between science and belief.
Aristotle: Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher who lived over 2,000 years ago and is one of the most influential thinkers in Western history. He studied nearly every subject—from animals and plants to politics and ethics—and developed practical ways of thinking that shaped how people understand the world. His ideas on logic, nature, and how to live a good life are still taught and debated today because he focused on observing the real world rather than just abstract theories.
Intellectus agens(the active function of the intellect): Latin for 'active intellect'—the part of the mind that actively thinks, reasons, and works to understand things.
Intellectus possibilis

Based on where you are in your exploration

(the receptive function of the intellect)

Latin for 'possible intellect'—the part of the mind that receives and stores knowledge, like a blank slate waiting to be written on.

Productive activity(presented alongside social relations as an explanation)

Work or action that creates something—especially how humans produce goods and shape their world through labor.

Receptivity(contrasted with spontaneity in how minds work)

The ability to receive or take in information from the outside world through your senses or experiences.

Separable(Distinguishing understanding from belief)

Able to exist or be considered apart from something else—in this case, suggesting understanding can stand on its own without requiring faith.

intellect(Simon's Aristotelian account of the soul)

The faculty of the rational soul whereby it thinks; it is immaterial, passive, and separate.

ontologically prior(describing the relationship between thinking and representation)

More fundamental or basic in terms of what actually exists; something that has to exist before or independently of something else.

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