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Single Idea 23265

[catalogued under 18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 5. Rationality / a. Rationality]

Full Idea

That part of the soul which we call rational is desiderative: …it desires truth, knowledge, learning, understanding, and recollection - in short, all the good things.

Gist of Idea

The rational part of the soul is the desire for truth, understanding and recollection

Source

Galen (The soul's dependence on the body [c.170], Kiv.2.772)

Book Reference

Galen: 'Selected Works of Galen', ed/tr. Singer,P.N. [OUP 1997], p.152


A Reaction

Truth is no surprise, but recollection is. Note the separation of knowledge from understanding. This is a very good characterisation of rationality. For the Greeks it has a moral dimension, of wanting what is good.