Aql bi al-Fi'l () is a kind of
intellect
In the study of the human mind, intellect refers to, describes, and identifies the ability of the human mind to reach correct conclusions about what is true and what is false in reality; and how to solve problems. Derived from the Ancient Gree ...
in
Islamic philosophy
Islamic philosophy is philosophy that emerges from the Islamic tradition. Two terms traditionally used in the Islamic world are sometimes translated as philosophy—falsafa (literally: "philosophy"), which refers to philosophy as well as logic, ...
. This level deals with readiness of the soul for acquiring the forms without receiving them again.
Historical background
Al-Kindi
Abū Yūsuf Yaʻqūb ibn ʼIsḥāq aṣ-Ṣabbāḥ al-Kindī (; ar, أبو يوسف يعقوب بن إسحاق الصبّاح الكندي; la, Alkindus; c. 801–873 AD) was an Arab Muslim philosopher, polymath, mathematician, physician ...
pointed out to a kind of intellect which could reach from the state of potentiality, to the state of actuality.
Farabi
Abu Nasr Muhammad Al-Farabi ( fa, ابونصر محمد فارابی), ( ar, أبو نصر محمد الفارابي), known in the West as Alpharabius; (c. 872 – between 14 December, 950 and 12 January, 951)PDF version was a renowned early Isla ...
pointed out that the first level of actualization of intellect is the potential intellect. The second stage is Aql bi al-Fi'l or actual intellect. The actual intellect reflects upon itself. In other word when intellect acquired forms and categories, reflects upon itself, this action is called actual intellect.
Groff classify the actual intellect as third.
meanwhile Farabi used the term Aql bi al-Fi'l for intellect in full exercise of its powers.
Iji, known theologian, referred to the actual intellect versus potential intellect.
It seems that the term Aql bi al-Fi'l in Avicenna is comparable with Al-Ruh Al-Aqli for
Al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali ( – 19 December 1111; ), full name (), and known in Persian-speaking countries as Imam Muhammad-i Ghazali (Persian: امام محمد غزالی) or in Medieval Europe by the Latinized as Algazelus or Algazel, was a Persian polymat ...
.
Concept
If the intellect acquired its knowledge so that it could access them any time it wants then the intellect is called actual intellect.
In this degree, Aql is in act which is compared to the absolute potency of the material Aql and has a first form of knowledge.
For Farabi, the potential intellect becomes the actual.
In fact the most important task of the actual intellect is to acquire secondary intelligible from primary intelligible and be ready to employ them all at any time. This stage has similarities with Aql bi al-Malaka but its task is much greater.
This intellect also is the second perfection of intellect.
However, this kind of intellect allows to human free themselves from illusion and errors.
See also
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Aql bi al-Quwwah
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'Aql
References
Sources
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Islamic philosophy
Islamic terminology
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