Disputatio de phrenitide

phantasm mental image: therefore it requires a soft material in which the images of things are not retained. Such a material is the anterior part of the brain: therefore, the imagination must deservedly be established there. On the contrary, the matter stands differently regarding memory: for since it ought to preserve and retain, it also requires a harder material: since such is the posterior part of the brain, memory is also rightly attributed to it. Reasoning, however, since it holds a middle way between those actions, ought to be placed in the middle part, since that is temperate.

XXII.

Finally, they confirm their opinion in this manner: more imperfect operations are suited to more imperfect organs: in the anterior part of the brain are the most imperfect spirits, which are the organs of the soul, in the posterior are the most perfect, and in the middle are the intermediate ones: therefore, since imagination is more imperfect than the other operations, and memory is the most perfect: imagination ought to be placed in the anterior part, memory in the posterior, and reason in the middle part of the brain.

XXIII.

And these are, for the most part, what are usually brought forward for the defense of this opinion. From which, since many absurdities follow that fight against the nature of the thing and Aristotle himself, one must decide otherwise regarding this matter. For first, it would follow that reason or the intellect, according to the whole breadth of its object, is not impassible: then, that the intellect is mixed and bound to an organ: furthermore, that memory is more excellent and perfect than the intellect: fourthly, that phantasy or imagination and memory are distinguished by reality and subject: and many other things, such as that the intellect does not understand everything, is drawn from the potentiality of matter, is not immortal, etc. But omitting the latter, I will deal with the former, since they are sufficient for the destruction of that opinion, especially at this time.

XXIV.

That our intellect is impassible by corruption according