Author Description

This volume renders into English the philosophical writings of the first philosopher of Islam: al-Kindi, known as the "Philosopher of the Arabs." One of the greatest figures of medieval philosophy, al-Kindi initiated the process of integrating Greek philosophical ideas into Islamic culture. He was deeply involved in the translation of Greek philosophy and science into Arabic, and wrote on a wide range of philosophical and scientific topics including metaphysics, theology, psychology, cosmology, ethics, and medicine. In these works al-Kindi sets out pioneering ideas about the relation of philosophy to religion, the oneness and providence of God, the nature of the human soul, the structure of the cosmos, and the eternity of the world. This book makes the whole of al-Kindi's philosophical corpus-some two dozen works-available in English, most of them for the first time. Extensive explanatory material is provided, in the form of an overall introduction, introductions to each work, and extensive notes. The translations are based largely on Arabic original texts, but in a few cases on medieval Latin versions where the Arabic originals are lost. The volume will thus give a wide readership unprecedented access to al-Kindi's philosophical and scientific ideas.