All of them are concerned with the ultimate applications of principle to practice, and with the actual moments for decision and action.

Indeed, Intellect [Greek: Nous] deals with the extremes at both ends of the scale: with the highest and lowest terms.

In theoretical science, it apprehends and sanctions the major propositions, the first and highest _principia_ of demonstrations: in practical dealings, it estimates the minor propositions of the syllogism, the possibilities of the situation, and the ultimate action required.

All these are the _principia_ from whence arises the determining motive: for the universal is always derived from particulars; these we must know through sensible perception, which is in this case the same thing as intellect [Greek: Nous].

Intellect is in fact both the beginning and the end: it cognizes both the first grounds of demonstration and the last applications of the results of demonstration.