passive intellect

In Aristotle's philosophy of mind, the intellect is divided into two parts: the passive intellect and the active intellect. The passive intellect is described as that which "can become all things," while the active intellect is that which "can make all things". The active intellect is considered separable, impassible, and unmixed, existing in its essential nature as activity.12

The concept of the passive intellect suggests a part of the human mind that receives or becomes the forms of sensible objects without their matter, akin to wax receiving an impression. This aligns with Aristotle's view that knowledge is identical with its object, implying that what is known must be "in" the knower in some form. The active intellect, in contrast, is thought to be the faculty responsible for forming concepts and understanding universals. The precise nature and relationship between these two aspects of intellect have been subjects of varied interpretations throughout philosophical history.12