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Potentiality to act

1 passages · search this phrase →

Often appears with: will, choice, and freedom · reason and the intellect · possible intellect · passive intellect · created vs divine intellect

Usually: argument (1)

Quotable
“And accordingly with us to understand is to be passive.” Thomas, Aquinas, Saint, Summa Theologica, Part I (Prima Pars) · insight

Summa Theologica, Part I (Prima Pars) secondary

Thomas, Aquinas, Saint · c. 1265–1274
PART I ("Prima Pars") > Act; in treating of which subject Boethius employs that phrase (De (21/290)

He holds that understanding is ‘in a way to be passive’ in the third sense: created intellect moves from potentiality to act, so the intellect is a passive power though not corruptible.

*On the contrary,* The Philosopher says (De Anima iii, 4) that "to understand is in a way to be passive." *I answer that,* To be passive may be taken in three ways. Firstly, in its most strict sense, when from a thing is taken something which belongs to it by virtue either of its nature, or of its proper inclination: as when water loses coolness by heating, and as when a man becomes ill or sad. Secondly, less strict…