On the Parts of the Soul · §3 · John of Damascus

The soul's five powers, starting with intellect

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The treatise has just finished dividing the appetitive part into three kinds and now begins listing the soul's five powers, starting with the intellect.

The soul has five powers: intellect, discursive thought, opinion, imagination, and sense perception. The intellect is the soul's intellectual sense perception, by which it can see things directly, without investigations.

Greek

Τῆς ψυχῆς εἰσι δυνάμεις πέντε· νοῦς, διάνοια, δόξα, φαντασία,

αἴσθησις. Νοῦς ἐστι νοερὰ αἴσθησις τῆς ψυχῆς, καθ' ἣν δύναται αὐτοπτικῶς ὁρᾷν τὰ

πράγματα, καὶ δίχα ζητήσεων.

About this text

John of Damascus's short outline of the soul: its three parts, the four virtues, three kinds of love, and five powers from intellect to sense.

John of Damascus wrote this brief doctrinal summary of the soul's parts, virtues, law, and faculties. It appears to have been compiled for instruction or reference rather than addressed to a particular person.

The treatise presents the soul as having three parts: the appetitive part, the spirited part, and the rational part. The law is described as threefold: natural, written, and spiritual in grace.

The soul also has five powers: intellect, discursive thought, opinion, imagination, and sense perception.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 94-96; De partibus animae (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.