E1P31S
Scholium — Part I
Latin
Ratio cur hic loquar de intellectu actu non est quia concedo ullum dari intellectum potentia sed quia omnem confusionem vitare cupio, nolui loqui nisi de re nobis quam clarissime percepta, de ipsa scilicet intellectione qua nihil nobis clarius percipitur. Nihil enim intelligere possumus quod ad perfectiorem intellectionis cognitionem non conducat.
English (Elwes 1883)
I do not here, by speaking of intellect in function, admit that there is such a thing as intellect in potentiality: but, wishing to avoid all confusion, I desire to speak only of what is most clearly perceived by us, namely, of the very act of understanding, than which nothing is more clearly perceived. For we cannot perceive anything without adding to our knowledge of the act of understanding.
Modern English
The reason I speak here of the intellect in act is not that I grant there is any intellect in potency. I wished to avoid all confusion, and chose to speak only of what is most clearly perceived by us, namely, the act of understanding itself, than which nothing is more clearly perceived by us. For there is nothing we can understand that does not lead us to a more perfect knowledge of the act of understanding.