Editing Intellect (section)

{{Short description|Faculty of the human mind}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Paris - Playing chess at the Jardins du Luxembourg - 2966.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The intellect comprises the [[rational]] and the [[logical]] aspects of the human mind.]]<!-- NOTE TO EDITORS: See talk page: this mini-article is an attempt to provide a suitable target for the many current and future article text links to "Intellect". It is not appropriate to leave them as "links to disambiguation page". It may be non-standard, but seems appropriate in this case where experts in the field cannot agree which article is really "Intellect". -->

'''Intellect''' is a [[Cognitive skill|faculty]] of the [[human mind]] that enables [[reasoning]], [[abstraction]], [[conceptualization]], and [[judgment]].{{sfnp|Corsini|2016|p=494}} It enables the discernment of [[truth]] and [[falsehood]], as well as higher-order thinking beyond immediate perception.{{sfnp|Aquinas|1947}} Intellect is distinct from ''[[intelligence]]'', which refers to the general ability to learn, adapt, and solve problems, whereas ''intellect'' concerns the application of reason to abstract or philosophical thought.{{sfnmp|1a1=Honderich|1y=2005|2a1=Colman|2y=2008}}

In philosophy, intellect ({{langx|grc|dianoia}}) has often been contrasted with {{lang|grc|[[nous]]}}, a term referring to the faculty of direct intuitive knowledge.{{sfnp|Hendrix|2015|p=114}} While intellect engages in [[discursive reasoning]], breaking down concepts into logical sequences, ''nous'' is considered a higher cognitive faculty that allows for direct perception of truth,{{sfnp|Hendrix|2015|p=114}} especially in [[Platonism]] and [[Neoplatonism]].{{sfnp|Plotinus|1991}} Aristotle{{sfnp|Aristotle|1907}} distinguished between the [[active intellect]] ({{lang|la|intellectus agens}}), which abstracts universal concepts, and the [[passive intellect]], which receives sensory input.{{sfnmp|1a1=Davidson|1y=1992|1p=6|2a1=Gutas|2y=2001}}

During [[late antiquity]] and the [[Middle Ages]], the intellect was considered the bridge between the [[human soul]] and [[Divine illumination|divine knowledge]], particularly in religious and metaphysical contexts.{{sfnmp|1a1=Davidson|1y=1992|1p=6|2a1=Gutas|2y=2001}} Thinkers such as [[Thomas Aquinas]] and [[Averroes]] explored intellect as the means by which humans engage in higher reasoning and theological contemplation. This intellectual tradition influenced both Christian [[Scholasticism]] and [[Islamic philosophy]], where intellect was linked to the understanding of divine truth.{{sfnp|Davidson|1992}}

In modern [[psychology]] and [[neuroscience]], the term "intellect" is sometimes used to describe higher cognitive functions related to abstract thought and logical reasoning. However, contemporary research primarily focuses on [[general intelligence]] (g-factor) and [[cognitive abilities]] rather than intellect as a separate faculty.{{sfnp|Deary|2020}} While theories such as [[Howard Gardner]]'s [[theory of multiple intelligences]] address diverse ways of processing information, they do not equate directly to historical or philosophical notions of intellect.{{sfnmp|1a1=Gardner|1y=1999|2a1=Collier|2y=2012}}