Aristotle on the Intellect / Der Intellekt bei Aristoteles - Detailseite

This seminar will focus on Aristotle's theory of the intellect (nous) as a power of the human soul in de Anima III.4-8. We will ask what the objects of the intellect are; in what sense the act of "intellecting" (noesis) is an action of the object on the intellect; how the relationship between the intellect and its objects is like and unlike the relationship between the power of perception and its objects; how the power to "intellect" objects is related to the power to make truth-apt judgments. We will discuss the famous chapter (III.5) on the so-called active intellect, and also the relationship between the intellect and the human body. We will also read Chapter 9 of Book Lambda of Aristotle's Metaphysics, in which Aristotle argues that the divine intellect is identical with its own object, interpreting that chapter in light of the theory of intellect from de Anima. Robert Roreiter, Professor at the Charles University and leading expert on these texts and issues, will also take a leading role in the class.

Language of instruction: English. Knowledge of Greek desirable but not necessary. Some knowledge of Aristotle's philosophy highly desirable.