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    The intellect's passivity is categorically different from... — Carmelics
    Home/Consciousness & Mind
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    The intellect's passivity is categorically different from matter's passivity.

    Consciousness & Mind
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
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    • 1.There are two senses of passivity: receiving forms with qualitative change, and receiving forms without qualitative change.
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    • 2.Matter is passive in both senses — it receives forms and undergoes qualitative change.
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    • 3.The intellect receives forms but does not undergo qualitative change.
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    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
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    • 1.Aristotle's hylomorphism treats matter as pure potentiality, but the possible intellect is also characterized as having no actuality prior to thinking (De Anima 429a21-24).
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    • 2.If both matter and the possible intellect are defined by the absence of prior determination, the alleged categorical difference collapses into a difference of degree, not kind.
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    • 3.Simon's distinction between 'with qualitative change' and 'without qualitative change' presupposes a settled account of qualitative change that Aristotle himself never stabilizes across the Categories and Physics.
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    Reason against 2 of 2
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    • 1.Averroes argued that the material intellect is neither a form in matter nor matter itself, yet shares matter's indeterminacy — making passivity a structural feature independent of materiality.
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    • 2.If indeterminate receptivity is the criterion for passivity, then distinguishing intellect from matter by appealing to qualitative change merely redescribes the problem rather than resolving it.
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    Topics

    Consciousness & Mind

    Connections

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    Modality & Possibility1 linked

    Related

    Aristotle's hylomorphism treats matter as pure potentiality, but the possible in...Averroes argued that the material intellect is neither a form in matter nor matt...If both matter and the possible intellect are defined by the absence of prior de...If indeterminate receptivity is the criterion for passivity, then distinguishing...
    +5 moreShow less
    Matter is passive in both senses — it receives forms and undergoes qualitative c...Simon's distinction between 'with qualitative change' and 'without qualitative c...The intellect receives forms but does not undergo qualitative change.There are two senses of passivity: receiving forms with qualitative change, and ...Therefore, the intellect is passive only in the weaker sense, not in the fundame...

    Similar

    Therefore, the intellect is passive only in the weaker sense, not in t...85%Therefore, the intellect is passive in the sense of being potential wi...82%Sensation requires passivity, but the mind is purely active.81%Therefore, the intellect is not passive in the fundamental (material) ...81%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: simon-faversham
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    According to Simon, the intellect is the faculty of the rational soul whereby it thinks. Simon, who follows the Aristotelian doctrine closely, holds this faculty to be immaterial, passive, and separate. It is separate because it does not need to use an organ in order to perform its operation of intellection. It is also passive, but not in the same sense matter is passive. In fact, there are two senses in which something is passive: it can receive forms with or without undergoing qualitative chan
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit