 As Kilwardby frequently remarks, following Aristotle’s dictum in the Metaphysics, human beings have a natural desire for knowledge (DOS 6): Omnes homines natura scire desiderant. Knowledge or more properly scientific knowledge (scientia) is defined as the knowledge of the conclusion of a demonstrative syllogism (based on Aristotle’s doctrine in the Posterior Analytics). As many other authors of the period, Kilwardby distinguishes between the understanding of the principles  (intellectus),[14]  and the knowledge of the conclusion  (scientia).[15]