This whole active vs. passive thing looks like the old "pedalboard vs. straight-to-amp" discussion, or the well known "pics vs. fingers". The funny thing is that it always seems to end up in a "natural vs. artificial" argument; almost like that old topic of what's nature and what's culture.
All I'm going to say is that the bunch of things we're talking about are human made, and therefore artificial. So the differences are basically in the way we all use them, but there is no such thing as a so called "more natural, less artificial" way.
As an example, let's say that hitting a string with your fingers is more "natural" than doing it with a pick, because your fingers are in direct contact with the strings. Well, go and tell that to a guy with a violin or a cello. This guy is using a bow to play, right? But that guy doesn't need amps, nor electricity to play his instrument; so, is that way more natural? It seems to. But, wait, he's using a bow and not his own fingers! And the thing can go further and further, but you get the idea.
Another thing yet: simplicity vs. complexity. But this can be tricky too, because it *seems* that passive is less complicated due to the less variables involved (less switches and buttons and whatnot), but if that way is not letting you to get your sound, then you have to mess a little more with your amp or an effect, etc., wich starts to being not so simple then. In the other hand, if the active electronics in your bass lets you achieve the sound you're looking for, it seems to me that you've also gained simplicity, since it took you less time and knob adjustments.
I think this topics may need to be seen as a pragmatic issue, and not a place to make statements of principles.
