The Epistemological Standing of the Active Intellect in Avicenna's Thought

The position of the Active Intellect in the system of Peripatetic thinking, and especially in Avicenna, is very fundamental and important. This being has a unique role in thestructure of the Universe as well as the process of human knowledge. The aim of this article is to explain epistemological standing of Active Intellect in the thinking system of the most important peripatetic philosopher in the Muslim world, Avicenna.According to Avicenna, human knowledge can not act correctly without a spiritual sacred intellect; so the knowing process in its all stages needs to emanation and intermediary of a being such as Active Intellect. Active Intellect in the thought of Avicenna hasfive epistemological roles: emanation of the first intelligible beings, emanation of the second intelligible beings, being as a place for collection of the perceptive images, presentation of the observed images in dream and presentation of universal revealed images to the prophets. The theory of Active Intellect has not remained safebecause of the future critics who have made criticisms on the ontological and epistemological standing of Active Intellect.