One of the most renowned topics of the philosophical discussions in the Latin universities of the 13th century is that of the human knowledge as the actualization of the potential intellect by the Agent Intellect. Usually this doctrine is described as issued from the Peripatetic tradition, and especially from Alexander of Aphrodisias' understanding of Aristotle's De Anima. In this article it is argued that the main source of the Agent Intellect (or "dator formarum") is the Arabic Plotinus. The creator of this topic, al-Farabi was heavily influenced by one of the writings derived from the Arabic Plotinus, namely the Epistle on the Divine Science, where the topic of an intellectual substance distinct from the First cause, and acting as the cause of the Forms, is expounded.
Aux origines du dator formarum. Plotin, l’Épître sur la science divine et al-Farabi
D'ANCONA, CRISTINA
2014-01-01
Abstract
One of the most renowned topics of the philosophical discussions in the Latin universities of the 13th century is that of the human knowledge as the actualization of the potential intellect by the Agent Intellect. Usually this doctrine is described as issued from the Peripatetic tradition, and especially from Alexander of Aphrodisias' understanding of Aristotle's De Anima. In this article it is argued that the main source of the Agent Intellect (or "dator formarum") is the Arabic Plotinus. The creator of this topic, al-Farabi was heavily influenced by one of the writings derived from the Arabic Plotinus, namely the Epistle on the Divine Science, where the topic of an intellectual substance distinct from the First cause, and acting as the cause of the Forms, is expounded.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
