A passage in Albertus Magnus

Albertus Magnus is here discussing the progression from observation of individuals in the world to formation of a universal in the mind.

  • et non dicitur ad universale: quia multiplex est universale:
  • And it is not “to universal” because the universal is multiplex [whatever that means].

What then is going on here with et . . . et?

  • est enim universale rei et vocis per signum distributivum, et est universale intellectus, quod secundum se a singularibus collectum accipitur:

Is that “For the universal of something is both (et) of a word . . . and (et) of the intellect . . . ”?

Or is it “For the universal of something and of a word . . . and the universal is of the intellect . . .”

Or is intellectus nominative and not genitive?

And then what about quod secundum se? Does quod mean “because” or “which” ?

The passage continues:

  • et in omni sive in qualibet inductione est progressio in inductione ad universalia et non ad unum universale, hoc est, uno modo acceptum.

Any advice welcome!

Full text here

Terminus vero ad quem est universalia, quae ideo pluraliter dicuntur a singularibus ad universalia progredi, et non dicitur ad universale : quia multiplex est universale : est enim universale rei et vocis per signum distributivum, et est universale intellectus, quod secundum se a singularibus collectum accipitur : et in omni sive in qualibet inductione est progressio in inductione ad universalia et non ad unum universale, hoc est, uno modo acceptum.

I think it is explaining in what ways the universal is complex. There is a universal of thing and voice, and there is one of the intellect (genitive). Secundum se means according to itself.

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