Rational vs. Mystical Readings of Aristotle’s Nous Poietikos Introduction to the Subject and Overview of Central Positions
Rational vs. Mystical Readings of Aristotle’s Nous Poietikos Introduction to the Subject and Overview of Central Positions

Summary/Abstract: In my paper, I will give an overview of the readings of nous poietikos, the activeintellect from De Anima. Sadly, Aristotle describes it in a cryptic way, which resultedin many different theories. I will order them by introducing a division into “mystical”and “rational”. The mystical ones are rooted in a view that nous poietikos does notbelong to particular human beings, but is identical with Deity or a divine sphere.According to the rational readings it is our cognitive tool and through its activitywe can learn about the Deity and emulate it. The mystics are: Eudemus, Avicenna,Averroes, from the newer philosophers E. Zeller and from the contemporary ones– V. Caston. The rationalists are: Theophrastus, Thomas Aquinas, the XIXth centuryAristotelian revival and from the contemporary thinkers – A. Kosman.

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